These ingredients can be approved for animal food manufacturers’ use in one of three ways: using the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) provisions required by the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA);

Approved food additives for animal food use are found in 21 CFR parts 573 and 579. FDA has affirmed certain substances as GRAS for their intended use in animal food and these are listed in 21 CFR parts 582 and 584. Importantly, these lists are not all-inclusive.

An animal food (feed) ingredient is a component part, constituent, or any combination/mixture added to and comprising the animal food. Animal food ingredients might include grains, milling by-products, added vitamins, minerals, fats/oils, and other nutritional and energy sources.

Although there is no pre-market approval requirement for animal foods, their ingredients must be either approved food additives [21 CFR 573], generally recognized as safe (GRAS) [21 CFR 582], or the subject of an ingredient definition published in the Official Publication (OP) of the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).