Pet Food and Animal Feed Ingredients Regulatory & Consulting Services

Providing global scientific and regulatory solutions for pet food and animal feed ingredients.

Obtaining and maintaining regulatory compliance for pet and commercial animal feed ingredients is a complex process and varies among different regulatory jurisdictions. Safety and efficacy/utility in the target species (and many times life stage) must be demonstrated to obtain regulatory approval prior to marketing in a specific jurisdiction. Registration of the ingredient and the final product may also be required. Many jurisdictions are now requiring more advanced scientific analyses for certain ingredients, such as bioinformatics, fermentation media evaluations, and complex ingredient identification.

Intertek has a well-connected global team with extensive experience meeting the ever changing regulatory requirements for pet food and animal feed ingredients. Intertek’s staff can provide both scientific and regulatory guidance at all stages of the ingredient’s development.

Obtaining regulatory approval of feed ingredients and additives requires a clear efficient strategy. Intertek’s scientific and regulatory staff has the expertise to identify and outline the challenges across multiple jurisdictions, to provide a comprehensive plan addressing those challenges.

Our services Include:

Strategy development and defining potential gaps in obtaining regulatory approval
Supporting safety and efficacy/utility study development and placement for ingredients
Preparing safety and efficacy assessments
Directing discussions with regulatory agencies
Assembling scientific dossiers for regulatory and scientific bodies, including:
- S. Food and Drug Administration (US FDA)
- European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
- UK Food Standards Agency (FSA)
- Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)
- Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
Stewardship of regulatory submissions and addressing regulatory questions
Preparation of Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) new ingredient definition submissions
Assemble pet food/animal feed Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) Notifications
Composition of scientific manuscripts for publishing to meet regulatory requirements
Facilitate Expert Panel reviews of GRAS dossiers
Canadian Incidental Feed Additive (IFA) submissions

Feed ingredient regulatory compliance processes differ throughout the world:

Europe: Feed additives must meet pre-market approval under Regulation (EC) No 1831/2003 or be concluded feed materials.
United States: Ingredients for pet and animal feed must be: (I) approved food additives, (II) GRAS under the intended conditions of use (species and life stage, (III) receive a positive response under FDA’s Animal Feed Ingredient Consultation (AFIC) process, or (IV) an AAFCO-defined ingredient.
Canada: Livestock feed ingredients must obtain CFIA approval and be listed in the Canadian Feed Ingredients Table (CFIT, Feeds Regulations, 2024). Some mixed feeds and ingredients must also be registered with the CFIA.
Australia: Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) regulates feed supplements and additives – unless they have been specifically excluded in the Agvet Code Regulations.
China: Registration of feed and feed additives is managed by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) and undergoes a strict approval process. Overseas manufacturers wanting to export feed and feed additives to China must apply for product-specific import registration certificates and obtain production facility registration.