FDA guidelines on using colour additives in pet food

The Guidance for Industry, entitled Small Entity Compliance Guide – Declaring Color Additives in Animal Foods, provides background and questions and answers on the 2011 regulation requiring that all color additives subject to FDA’s certification process be listed on the product label for animal feed or pet food. Color additives exempt from certification generally include those derived from plants or minerals. All animal feed and pet food manufacturers must comply with the rule by Nov. 18, 2013.

On November 17, 2011, FDA published a final rule in the Federal Register (76 FR 29701) that amended its regulations regarding the declaration of certified color additives on the labels of animal food including animal feeds and pet foods.

This document is intended to provide guidance to small businesses on the requirements of the final rule which implements a portion of the 1990 amendments. The 1990 amendments, among other things, provided for the declaration of certified color additives on the labels of human and animal food, including animal feeds and pet foods.

For a PDF version of the document click here. You can find the notice of availability here.