The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its food safety rules to require cat and dog food manufacturers that use uncooked or unpasteurized poultry or cattle products to implement additional safety measures. The new guidelines aim to prevent the transmission of H5N1 influenza virus to pets, following recent reports of infected cats dying after consuming commercial raw pet foods in multiple states.
The FDA’s Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule now requires manufacturers to identify hazards presented by H5N1 and implement preventive controls to reduce risks. Covered manufacturers must reanalyze their procedures for manufacturing, processing, packing, and holding food to ensure the virus is not transmitted.
To mitigate the risk, the FDA encourages practices such as sourcing healthy ingredients from herds and flocks, and adding an additional heat treatment step to inactivate the virus in products derived from cattle or poultry. The agency also offers resources to help pet food manufacturers conduct their reanalysis.
The update comes after multiple studies confirmed that meat, poultry, and eggs are safe when properly prepared and cooked, while pasteurization of milk and milk products makes them safe for consumption by humans and pets. Both the FDA and USDA will continue to monitor the safety of the food supply.
Source: https://www.aaha.org/trends-magazine/publications/fda-requires-cat-and-dog-food-manufacturers-to-include-h5n1-in-food-safety-plans