Best Practices for Pet Food Changeover Matrices and Allergen Control
We manufacture pet food and are currently challenging our changeover matrix. In the human food industry, allergens and label claims generally drive the need for specific cleaning protocols. However, when it comes to pet food production, I’m wondering if there are any specific guidelines or industry best practices for cleaning between different types of proteins (e.g., poultry, beef, fish)? Is a rinse-out or wash-out required between these types of proteins required?
As we’re working with various label claims (such as “Grain-Free”), I’ve run into a challenge with determining acceptable limits for gluten testing to ensure sanitation is effective. In human food, there are clear guidelines for gluten content (e.g., <20 ppm), but I haven’t been able to find any similar requirements or recommendations for pet food. Does anyone have insights or practices for setting testing thresholds or sanitation effectiveness for pet food manufacturing, particularly with claims like "Grain-Free" or similar?
:helpplease:
I have had four clients that manufactured pet foods for cats and dogs and each one follow human-grade guidelines,
Interesting note, some years back we inspected retail big box stores - it was my first exposure to seeing how many people buy pet food to eat.
Sometimes you just have to make very hard choices.
Labels have to be accurate, no matter what the intended consumer is. There needs to be a cleaning sufficient to remove at least the organoleptically detectable traces of a product if it has ingredients not listed on the label of the following product -- this is doubly true if you have identity preserved status related label claims for the following product.
You don't need allergen declarations for pet food so at minimum you would assure that between formulas containing different ingredients there should be some clean out to a visual inspection level. This is to maintain an appropriate ingredient statement and not have an adulterated product. Also with consideration to each formula and if there is a pathogenic risk from one to the other. Recalls with pet food are generally either pathogens or foreign material.
It's an interesting point our resident SQF auditor has raised. Part of the preliminary steps of HACCP is to consider reasonably foreseeable consumer misuse. Is this one? Possibly. Also I do have two friends who have gluten intolerant Labradors. And in the UK we are probably more worried about our pets than our kids which is extremely disturbing to me but a reality of our culture. I suspect similarly in the US?
Which makes me think of the brilliant David Sedaris. He often talks to audience members after a reading. There were some quotes he shared displaying different cultural norms.
One from the US "Oh, our dogs are our children..."
From Germany "Our children are our dogs!" :roflmao:
Treat pet food the same as human food. Animals have allergens as well.