The AAFCO (American Association of Feed Control Officials) is an advisory body that proposes regulations for the production and labeling of animal feeds, including pet food. Its membership consists of regulatory officials from many states' feed control bodies, Federal agencies (FDA), and like agencies in Canada and Costa Rica, as well as members of other interested groups, such as the Animal Protection Institute, and various veterinarian colleges.
The AAFCO includes a Pet Food Committee, chaired by Ms Liz Higgins.

What AAFCO Does

• Defines terms for labeling, e.g., "meat by-products"
• Defines quantity determination for label titles, e.g., "Chicken Cat Food," "Chicken Dinner for Cats," "Chicken-flavored Cat Food"
• Sets criteria for the usage of "complete and balanced" on pet food labels
• Recommends percentage or minimum/maximum amounts of various ingredients in pet foods, depending on age and activity level of cats

What it Doesn't Do

• AAFCO has no regulatory powers (but its membership consists of regulatory officials from various states and municipalities)
• AAFCO does no testing, but recommends protocal for testing, and works with independent laboratories which perform tests
• Makes no determination of "human grade" protein quality, as sometimes described on pet food labels
• Does not directly suggest standards for labeling foods specified as "Hairball Forumula," "Lite," or "Dental Care," although ingredient suggestions include certain quantities of protein, fat, etc., for food intended for adult cats vs kitten/lactating queens

This article gives you the basic information you'll need to know in order to examine cat food labels. The next article in this series offers more detail, along with a forumula for leveling the playing field between canned and dry foods.
This coming week, if you have a chance to go to your local pet supplies store, practice comparing labels, using the information you've learned here. You'll find most standard supermarket brands fall short in one or more categories.

Choosing Cat Food Series

• Tips for Choosing Cat Food
• Understanding Cat Food Labels

If you found this article useful, you might want to enroll in my free email class, The Role of Food in Your Cat's Health.