Part Two: The language of flavour

We all want the best for our dogs, and that means knowing what they’re eating, understanding the ingredients in their food. To that end, it’s wise to learn what marketing tactics are permitted – and how they are used. Because one thing is certain: this language has nothing to do with our dogs. It’s aimed at us.

As one study puts it:

“Pet foods can also be prepared to be more appealing to pet owners if the chosen aromas and flavours are commonly associated with human food[1].”

In looking at the guidelines for labelling, I’ve made some surprising discoveries. Opaque wording and marketing practices can blur the lines of what’s truly on offer.

So, does labelling operate in a space between what is permitted and what is likely to be believed – and is there a way to decipher the labelling code?

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When we pick up a bag of dog food that says “duck flavour,” it would seem apparent that duck meat is giving the food its taste and identity.

Plot twist: there’s no duck!

A flavour claim does not require use of the named ingredient. In the EU, a food labelled as “duck flavour” or “flavoured with duck” need not contain duck: a flavouring additive (palatant) will suffice to meet the flavour “requirement”.

The presence of duck is merely implied.

In fact, only if the picture on the packet reinforces that belief – for example images or wording on the packaging that emphasise duck – does the manufacturer have to declare the named feed material (duck) and its percentage, however small.

So a “duck flavour” claim is all about perception, not substance. No flavour source – well, there is a source. But it’s not necessarily a duck. However, a “with duck” claim requires a token amount of duck; a “high in duck” claim needs 14%… I’ll just leave that there.

The Code

Going on to the Code, these are the percentages agreed by the industry under Annex 5 of the FEDIAF Code of Good Labelling Practice for Pet Food (2019)[2]:

  • “X flavour”: May contain no actual X at all; the flavour is delivered by an additive.
  • “Flavoured with X”: Contains more than 0% and less than 4% of the named ingredient.
  • “With X” or “Contains X”: Requires at least 4% of the named ingredient.
  • “Rich in X”, “With Extra” or “High in X”: Requires at least 14% of the named ingredient.
  • “X Dinner” or “X Menu”: Requires at least 26% of the named ingredient.
  • “All X” or “All X with jelly”: All materials with no other ingredients present except permitted additives, minerals or other micro-components required for nutritional completeness and water for processing.

Crucially, manufacturers are neither required to state whether a flavour is derived from the named ingredient, nor how a flavour claim is justified.

 

The consumer explanation (Annex 12)

“Where the presence of a feed material is emphasised by words, pictures or graphics, the name and percentage by weight of that feed material shall be indicated.
Claims referring to taste or flavour must be justified by the addition of appropriate flavouring compounds or feed materials.”

The actual Regulation:

The name and percentage by weight of a feed material shall be indicated if its presence is emphasised on the labelling in words, pictures or graphics.
R. 767/2009, Art. 17.2 (a).

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Knowing these definitions turns a marketing slogan into information you can evaluate – or at least understand its constraints. Duck flavour could mean no duck; duck menu must have 26%.

Oh, and you know the percentage required? That refers to raw weight, not what ends up in the finished food. So, the next question is how does the hierarchy of those ingredients work? (see Part Three: The Language of Hierarchy).

Trying to make sense of the small print, one piece at a time.

References:

[1]  Samant SS, Crandall PG, Jarma Arroyo SE, Seo HS. Dry Pet Food Flavor Enhancers and Their Impact on Palatability: A Review. Foods. 2021 Oct 27;10(11):2599. doi: 10.3390/foods10112599. PMID: 34828880; PMCID: PMC8622411.

[2] https://europeanpetfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/FEDIAF_labeling_code_2019_onlineOctober2019.pdf