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Dog-food products described as light, lite, or low calorie must meet specific calorie levels set by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), while dog foods named “less” or “reduced calorie” must show a percent reduction in calories as compared to a product in the same moisture-content category. The following table shows the guidelines as set by AAFCO for both dog and cat foods for determining whether a product can use the term “light.”
| Food Texture | Moisture Content | Dog Foods Maximum kcal ME/kg | Cat Foods Maximum kcalME/kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | less than 20% moisture | 3,100 | 3,250 |
| Semi-Moist | between 20 and 64% moisture | 2,500 | 2,650 |
| Canned | 65% or more moisture | 900 | 950 |
Like light versus reduced-calorie foods, lean or low-fat dog-food products must meet specific fat levels set by AAFCO, and less-fat or reduced-fat dog-food products need to show a percent reduction in fat as compared to a product in the same moisture category. AAFCO guidelines for dog and cat foods with “lean,” “low fat,” or similar words are shown in the following table.
| Food Texture | Moisture Content | Dog Foods Maximum % Crude Fat | Cat Foods Maximum % Crude Fat |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry | less than 20% moisture | 9 | 10 |
| Semi-Moist | between 20 and 64% moisture | 7 | 8 |
| Canned | 65% or more moisture | 4 | 5 |
Active dogs thrive on diets high in fat. To preserve a high-fat dry kibble diet, however, is a challenge. The IAMS research team met that challenge with an effective preservative system used in all our dry dog food products, such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™ Adult MiniChunks.
The preservative system features a special blend of mixed tocopherols. Tocopherols are antioxidants extracted from vegetable oils. There are four major types of tocopherols. Vitamin E, also known as alpha-tocopherol, is commonly used in dog foods, though a specific mixture of the different tocopherols protects against rancidity.
Our preservative system slows the rate of oxidation and allows for an extended shelf life.
Wet foods, such as IAMS™ ProActive Health™ with Chicken and Whole Grain Rice Pate, do not require preservatives because they are preserved by packaging. When the ingredients are mixed and ready for cooking, the mixture is packed into cans, trays or pouches and cooked in a retort. Similar in principle to a pressure cooker, the retort sterilizes and preserves the product.
The cans, trays or pouches are then cooled under conditions that assure product sterility and container integrity.
Thorough shelf-life testing is conducted on all our products. In general, shelf lives for various types of products are:
24 months for wet foods
16 months for dry foods
12 months for biscuits
By using a preservative system in our dry dog food and preservation through packaging in our wet dog food, IAMS makes sure the food your dog eats is well-balanced and nutritionally beneficial.
