Nutrition with organic foods has many positive effects on human health. Organic foods produced without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers used in conventional farming support our immune system, protect our digestive system, reduce the risk of cancer, and are more nutritious due to their higher vitamin and mineral content. The practices used during the production of organic foods are of great importance for our environment, as soil and water resources are preserved and the habitats of beneficial plants and animals are protected, ensuring ecological balance.

Organic nutrition, which has many beneficial effects, is equally valid for our beloved animal companions. Many data show that organic food increases the general health and quality of life of animals and results in fewer digestive and skin problems/allergies.

On the other hand, there are some challenges when purchasing organic pet food. In our country and around the world, pet foods are sold with the organic label or with labels indicating that some of their ingredients are organic.

The absence of legal frameworks regarding the mandatory statements and explanations that must be included on the labels of products sold under the name “organic pet food” in the countries where the product is manufactured does not provide sufficient confidence to people who want to protect their beloved companions’ health by purchasing such products.

Rules regarding organic pet food or the content of its labeling are not explained by a separate regulation in Türkiye. According to Article 17(1)(a) of the Turkish Regulation on the Principles and Implementation of Organic Agriculture: “Except for pet animals and fur animals, in organic animal husbandry, animals are fed with organic roughage and concentrated feed produced organically.” As can be understood from this provision, there is no specific information or rule on this subject in the Turkish Regulation on the Principles and Implementation of Organic Agriculture.

In Türkiye, relevant legislation includes the Law No. 5996 on Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Feed, published in the Official Gazette dated 13/6/2010 and numbered 27610, and the Regulation on the Placing on the Market and Use of Feed, published in the Official Gazette dated 27/12/2011 and numbered 28155, which is linked to Law No. 5996. In these laws and regulations, our animal companions are referred to as “pets and ornamental animals.” According to these, “pets and ornamental animals” are defined as animals that are fed, bred, or kept by humans but are not used for human consumption.

For pet food, according to Article 18 of the Regulation on the Placing on the Market and Use of Feed: “In order to enable those who purchase feed for pets and ornamental animals to obtain additional information about feed additives and feed materials by category, in addition to mandatory labeling information, a contact phone number must be indicated on the label of feed for pets and ornamental animals.” It is very important to review the labels in detail and obtain accurate information, especially about additives, to understand whether the content of the product is suitable for our beloved animals.

According to the Regulation on the Placing on the Market and Use of Feed, the labeling requirements are summarized below. For more detailed information, it is recommended to review the fourth section and relevant annexes of the Regulation regarding labeling:

• Feed to be placed on the market in Türkiye must bear labeling information in Turkish.
• Mandatory labeling information must be clearly included on all packaging or containers, on attached labels, or in accompanying documents for bulk feed. The label information must be clear, visible, legible, and indelible.
• Mandatory labeling information must be easily distinguishable and not be obscured or made difficult to understand by other information. The color, font type, and size used in presenting the label information should not obscure some information or make it appear more important, except where warning statements are required.
• No feed material or compound feed may be placed on the market without the following information on its label:
  • Type of feed: such as feed material, complete feed, or complementary feed
  • Name or company name and address of the feed business operator
  • Approval number of approved feed establishments
  • Batch or lot number
  • Net quantity of solid products by weight or of liquid products by weight or volume
  • A list of feed additives, in accordance with the rules specified in the legislation on the authorization of feed additives, if feed additives are added, according to the first part of Annex 6 or Annex 7
  • Moisture content as specified in item six of Annex 1

In order to inform final consumers at the retail level, ensure consistency and transparency in the market, and encourage the use of organic ingredients, the European Union and the United States of America have recently introduced regulations regarding organic pet food labeling.

Thanks to this, people who purchase products will be able to safely confirm from the product labels that the products contained in the pet food have been inspected by an authorized control body in accordance with relevant legislation. Below is a summary of the relevant regulations of the European Union and the United States of America. We hope that the rules stated in these regulations will also guide you when examining organic pet food labels.

Specific labeling requirements for pet food produced in compliance with the rules on organic feed production under EU Organic Regulation (EU) 2018/848 are specified in the Regulation (EU) 2023/2419 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 18 October 2023 and apply within European Union member states.

Through Regulation (EU) 2023/2419, the provisions of the organic regulation (EU) 2018/848 applicable to feed, particularly those related to production, certification, control, marketing, and trade with third countries, are also made applicable to pet food.

To increase awareness of compliance with organic production rules, the use of the European Union organic production logo has been made mandatory for all pre-packaged pet foods produced within the Union in accordance with Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and this new Regulation (EU) 2023/2419.

Article 3 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2419: Use of terms referring to organic production on the labeling of pet food

The terms referred to in Article 30(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 may be used in the sales description and in the list of ingredients of pet food if the following conditions are met:

• the pet food complies with the detailed production rules set out in Part V of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and with the processing techniques laid down in accordance with Article 17(3) of that Regulation; and
• at least 95 % of the agricultural ingredients of the product by weight are organic.

If the following conditions are met, such terms may be used only in the list of ingredients:

• less than 95 % of the agricultural ingredients of the product by weight are organic, and that those ingredients comply with the production rules set out in Regulation (EU) 2018/848;
• only feed additives and processing aids authorised pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 are used in the processing of the pet food; and
• the pet food complies with the detailed production rules set out in points 1.5, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 of Part V of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and with the processing techniques laid down in accordance with Article 17(3) of that Regulation.

The terms referred to in Article 30(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 may also be used in the sales description and the list of ingredients of pet food containing ingredients from hunting or fishing if the following conditions are met:

• the main ingredient is a product of hunting or fishing;
• those terms are clearly related in the sales description to an organic ingredient other than the main ingredient;
• all other agricultural ingredients are organic;
• only feed additives and processing aids authorised pursuant to Article 24 of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 are used in the processing of the pet food; and
• the pet food complies with the detailed production rules set out in points 1.5, 2.1, 2.2 and 2.4 of Part V of Annex II to Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and with the processing techniques laid down in accordance with Article 17(3) of that Regulation.

The list of ingredients referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 shall indicate which ingredients are organic. The references to organic production may only appear in relation to the organic ingredients.

The list of ingredients referred to in paragraph 1, point (b), and in paragraph 2 shall include an indication of the total percentage of organic ingredients in proportion to the total quantity of agricultural ingredients.

The terms referred to in Article 30(1) of Regulation (EU) 2018/848 and the indication of the percentage referred to in paragraph 4 of this Article shall appear in the same colour and in an identical size and style of lettering as the other indications in the list of ingredients referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 of this Article.

Article 4 of Regulation (EU) 2023/2419: Use of the European Union organic production logo in the labeling of pet food

The European Union organic production logo may only be used in the labeling, presentation, and advertising of pet food only if the conditions laid down in point (a) of Article 3(1) are met.

According to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), under § 205.202 definitions, pet and pet food are defined as follows:

• Pet: Any domestic animal not used for the production and sale of food, fiber, or other agricultural-based consumer products.
• Pet food: Any commercial feed prepared and distributed for pet consumption.

According to § 205.270(d) Organic Handling Requirements: Pet food intended to be sold, labeled, or represented as “organic” or “made with organic” may contain only the following and must be labeled in compliance with subpart D of the USDA-NOP (see § 205.301(b) and (c)):

• Nonagricultural (nonorganic) substances allowed as ingredients in or on processed products under § 205.605 (for example, pet food businesses may use “taurine” in organic pet food)
• Nonorganically produced agricultural products allowed as ingredients in or on processed products under § 205.606
• Substances allowed under § 205.603(d)(2) and (3) (trace minerals and vitamins used for enrichment or fortification upon FDA approval)

In this content, we have tried to present the legal bases and important points to consider regarding the labeling of organic pet food.

An alternative way to provide organic food for our beloved pets is to prepare their meals at home using organic ingredients. By carefully selecting ingredients tailored to your pets’ unique needs and health sensitivities, you can create very healthy meals. While preparing this content, we also recommend exploring the home pet food preparation machines we have recently discovered.