• Proper identification of product,
• net quantity statement,
• manufacturer's address and
• proper listing of all ingredients

Some states adapt these regulations for:

• product name,
• guaranteed analysis,
• nutritional adequacy statement,
• feeding directions and
• calorie statements

• Applies only to meat, so Lamb n Rice would be 95% lamb
• "Beef for Dogs" 95% must be beef
• If two meats are listed, such as Chicken n Liver Dog food, both meats must comprise 95% of ingredients

• The "dinner" rule
• Named ingredients comprise at least 25% but less then 95%, it must include a descriptive term
• Terms such as dinner, platter, entree, nuggets or formula
• Ingredient on label generally found third or fourth down the line in list. 
• Be sure to check the labels, as undesired ingredient may be top ingredient

• A 25% rule with combined foods, both foods must equal 25% of total, with second food, or Fish equally at least 3%. 
• Goes for meats/non meats as well

3% or With rule?

• Beef Dinner for Dogs w/ Cheese, would mean at least 3% cheese
• Cat food w/Tuna vs Tuna cat food means latter is 95% tuna whereas the former is only 3% tuna

• There is no specific percentage required for a food to be "flavored" but must pass taste tests, and the word flavor must appear the same size as the ingredient, BEEF FLAVOR
• Pet foods often contain digests materials treated w/ enzymes and heat to make natural flavors. No actual beef may be in the food, but digests make it taste so. 

A statement that tells you how much product is in the container. 

Be careful, for a 14oz can of food looks identical to a 1lb can. 

A 40lb bag of food may only contain 34lbs of "puffed" up food. 

The "manufactured" by indicates the party responsible for the product. However, there are manufactured for, or distributed by statements that means it was manufactured by an outside party, but the name on the label is the responsible party.

Not all labels contain an address, but by law a street directory must have the address. 

Clean flesh of animals limited to striate muscle, w/wo fath, skin, vessels and flesh

vs

Rendered product from mammal tissues, exclusive of blood, hair, horn, hide, manure, stomach or rumen.