FDA urges pet food manufacturers to update safety plans for H5N1 risks

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is requiring pet food manufacturers subject to the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Preventive Controls for Animal Food (PCAF) rule to reanalyze their food safety plans to address H5N1, a strain of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. The requirement applies to manufacturers using uncooked or unpasteurized ingredients such as meat, milk or eggs derived from poultry or cattle in cat and dog food.

This update follows recent H5N1 cases in domestic and wild cats in states like California, Oregon, Washington and Colorado, which were linked to the consumption of contaminated food products. While cats can experience severe illness or death from H5N1, dogs generally exhibit milder symptoms and lower mortality.

Under the PCAF rule, manufacturers are required to identify and evaluate known or reasonably foreseeable hazards in their food safety plans. The FDA has deemed H5N1 a foreseeable hazard for pet food manufacturers using certain raw or unprocessed animal ingredients. Reanalysis is necessary to incorporate the latest scientific findings and address the risk of H5N1 transmission through pet food.

Steps for pet food manufacturers

The FDA recommends the following practices to minimize H5N1 risks:

• Source ingredients only from healthy herds or flocks.
• Implement processing steps such as heat treatment, which has been shown to inactivate the virus in meat, milk and eggs.
• Establish supply-chain controls to verify ingredients are free of H5N1 contamination.

The agency has also provided resources and scientific literature to help manufacturers update their plans. Companies that implement preventive controls will contribute to protecting pet health and reducing the spread of H5N1.

Pet food businesses are encouraged to act quickly to ensure their food safety plans meet these updated standards. The FDA highlights that addressing H5N1 requires collaboration across government, industry and consumers.