U.S. and China Reach Accord to Assure Pet Food Safety
The United States and China in December signed an agreement increasing American authority concerning the safety of food—including pet food, treats and feed—imported from China.
Pet products covered under the agreement between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine include:
• Pet food/pet treats of plant or animal origin.
• Ingredients of food and feed, such as wheat gluten and rice protein.
• Low-acid canned foods.
• All aquaculture farming products other than molluscan shellfish.
The agreement requires exporters of these products to register their products with the Chinese agency and agree to annual inspections to ensure that their goods meet U.S. standards. It also gives Food and Drug Administration inspectors increased access to Chinese production facilities.
Furthermore, the agreement requires exporters to provide more information about emerging public health risks related to product safety and recalls.
The U.S. and Chinese agencies will create a working group to determine specific activities each will undertake to implement the agreement and establish performance measures to evaluate progress. [February 2008 PET AGE]
