CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) announced on May 2 the introduction of a Common Food Index (CFI) and implementation process.

The CFI includes 72 items, which were selected by an AAFCO subcommittee comprised of ingredient definitional and label review experts to have the most common and well-known animal feed and pet food ingredients deemed appropriate for use in these products but left undefined in AAFCO’s Official Publication. This includes certain vegetables, fruits and whole seeds, as well as common human foods.

AAFCO has made the CFI available to the public for commentary. Industry stakeholders such as animal nutritionists, veterinarians, consumer groups and the general public are encouraged to review the CFI and provide feedback by June 2.

“Our intention in creating the Common Food Index is to aggregate historically safe items, with a broad consensus, that can serve as a trusted resource to animal food manufacturers and consumers,” said Austin Therrell, executive director of AAFCO. “To be clear, the CFI is not a substitute for the AAFCO process for new feed ingredient definitions, which remains clearly delineated in the Official Publication.”

The CFI will be used to review ingredients as they appear on animal food labels to ensure listings are unified and transparent. According to the association, manufacturers are tasked with determining whether a common food is safe and applicable for commercial distribution in animal food products.

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