Md. Code Regs. 15.18.09.07

Current through Register Vol. 51, No. 22, November 1, 2024

Section 15.18.09.07 - Ingredients

A. General Requirements. In addition to the requirements for commercial feed provided by law, the following requirements of these regulations shall also apply to pet food and specialty pet food.

B. Ingredient Statement Requirement. Each ingredient of a pet food or specialty pet food shall be listed in the ingredient statement as follows:

(1) The names of all ingredients in the ingredient statement shall be shown in letters or type of the same size;

(2) The ingredients shall be listed in descending order by predominance by weight in nonquantitative terms;

(3) The ingredients shall be listed and identified by the name and definition established by AAFCO; and

(4) Any ingredient with no established name and definition shall be identified by the common or usual name of the ingredient.

C. Meat and By-products Ingredients. The ingredients "meat" and "meat by-products" shall be qualified to designate the animal from which the meat or meat by-products are derived unless the meat or meat by-products are derived from cattle, swine, sheep, goats, or any combination of those animals. For example, ingredients derived from horses shall be listed as "horsemeat" or "horsemeat by-products."

D. Prohibition. Brand or trade names shall not be used in an ingredient statement.

E. Ingredient Attributes. A reference to the quality, nature, form, or other attribute of an ingredient shall be allowed when the reference meets all of the following:

(1) The designation is not false or misleading;

(2) The ingredient imparts a distinctive characteristic to the pet food or specialty pet food because it possesses that attribute; and

(3) A reference to quality or grade of the ingredient does not appear in the ingredient statement.

Md. Code Regs. 15.18.09.07

Regulation .07 adopted effective 44:7 Md. R. 353, eff. 4/10/2017