What is Human Grade Dog Food?

Karina Carbo-Johnson, MS
By Karina Carbo-Johnson, MS
Updated: 9/27/20241-2 minutes
A man with a dog

What is Human-Grade Dog Food?

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials, there is no legal definition for the term “human-grade.” In order to label a food as a “human-grade dog food,” all ingredients must be edible for humans, and the food itself must meet federal manufacturing and packaging regulations. As a result, almost no dog foods can meet these standards.

Is Human-Grade Dog Food Safer?

Just because an ingredient is human-grade doesn’t mean that it’s automatically safe for your pet to eat. What may be considered edible to a human could be dangerous to your dog. Whether or not a food can be consider a human-grade dog food has absolutely no impact on dog food safety, according to AAFCO resources about human-grade dog food. Instead, dog foods have their own set of strict standards and regulations.

At Purina, we formulate our dog foods based on their nutritious value for your dog, and the safety of your dog’s food is our top priority. That’s why we always meet or exceed the safety standards established by the Food and Drug Administration, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and AAFCO.

Want to learn more about our commitment to safety? Click here to read more about the steps we take to monitor the quality and safety of your dog’s food.

 

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