{"id":43195,"date":"2025-10-06T15:04:07","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T06:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/?p=43195"},"modified":"2026-03-26T08:24:48","modified_gmt":"2026-03-26T01:24:48","slug":"aafco-fediaf-meal-definition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/first-reach.org\/en\/contents\/aafco-fediaf-meal-definition\/","title":{"rendered":"Definitions of \u201cMeal\u201d Ingredients and Labeling Differences Between AAFCO and FEDIAF"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ingredient names commonly found on pet food labels\u2014such as \u201cchicken meal\u201d<\/strong> and \u201cmeat meal\u201d<\/strong>\u2014are not merely marketing terms. In the United States, they are legal terms with strict definitions established by AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials)<\/strong>. Each \u201cmeal\u201d term has detailed standards covering the animal source, parts included\/excluded, and processing method, allowing professionals to interpret the true nature of the ingredient from the label wording.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In contrast, Europe (under the FEDIAF framework and EU feed labeling rules)<\/strong> does not use an equivalent unified system of detailed ingredient definitions in the same way. Instead, labeling may rely on broader category terms<\/strong> such as \u201cmeat and animal derivatives.\u201d<\/strong>
This article provides a technical explanation of AAFCO meal definitions and the key differences versus FEDIAF\/EU labeling practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AAFCO: Meal Definitions and Labeling Rules<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Under AAFCO, pet food ingredient names have strict definitions, and labels must use the correct official terms consistent with those definitions. In particular, ingredients ending in \u201cmeal\u201d<\/strong> generally refer to rendered animal-protein materials<\/strong>\u2014animal tissues that have been processed by heating to remove much of the water and fat, then dried into a concentrated protein ingredient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicken meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

AAFCO defines chicken meal<\/strong> as a dry rendered product<\/strong> derived from clean muscle tissue and skin<\/strong> from poultry (such as chicken), potentially including bone<\/strong>, but excluding<\/strong> feathers, heads, feet, and viscera.
In simple terms: chicken meal is a high-protein ingredient made by rendering and drying chicken meat and skin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bone may be included, but non-permitted parts<\/strong> (e.g., feathers, head parts) must not be present. If prohibited parts are included beyond what is unavoidably trace, the ingredient cannot legally be labeled \u201cChicken Meal\u201d under AAFCO rules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chicken by-product meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Chicken by-product meal<\/strong> is produced by rendering and drying chicken by-products. Under AAFCO\u2019s definition of poultry by-product meal<\/strong>, it is a dry rendered product<\/strong> derived from carcass parts of slaughtered poultry<\/strong> (such as necks, feet, undeveloped eggs, and intestines), excluding feathers<\/strong>, and it has specified labeling\/quality requirements (e.g., guaranteed analysis standards related to crude protein, calcium, and phosphorus).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, chicken by-product meal is a concentrated powdered protein ingredient made from non-muscle parts (such as organs, necks, feet, etc.) after rendering to remove moisture and fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key difference from chicken meal is whether non-meat parts are included<\/strong>. Under AAFCO standards, if by-products are used, the label must specify \u201cby-product meal,\u201d<\/strong> and it cannot simply be labeled as \u201cchicken meal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beef meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Beef meal<\/strong> is a cattle-derived meal ingredient and, under AAFCO definitions, falls under meat meal<\/strong> (Meat Meal). Meat meal is defined as a product obtained by rendering mammalian tissues<\/strong>, excluding blood, hair, hoof, horn, hide, manure, and stomach\/rumen contents\u2014except for minute amounts that may be unavoidably present during processing. It also has quality standards such as calcium and phosphorus ratio requirements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the ingredient is derived from a single animal species only<\/strong> (e.g., cattle only), AAFCO allows the species to be specified on the label as \u201cBeef Meal.\u201d<\/strong> If it is a mixture of species, it may be labeled more generally as \u201cMeat Meal.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lamb meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Lamb meal<\/strong> is a sheep-derived meal ingredient (lamb\/mutton). Like beef meal, it is a type of meat meal<\/strong> under AAFCO definitions and refers to rendered and dried lamb tissues (bone may be included if applicable).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If the source is limited to sheep, the product can be labeled \u201cLamb Meal.\u201d<\/strong> In practice, pet food labels often use species-specific meal terms for differentiation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fish meal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Fish meal<\/strong> is a meal ingredient derived from fish\u2014either whole fish or fish processing remnants\u2014rendered (or dried) into a powdered protein material. Under AAFCO, the definition is not limited to a specific fish species; various fish types may be used as raw material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Typically, it refers to clean, non-decomposed whole fish or fish cuttings<\/strong> that are dried and ground (with oil optionally extracted), serving as a high-quality source of protein and fat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a labeling practice, if only a single fish species is used, it is recommended to specify the species (e.g., \u201cherring meal\u201d). If multiple species are mixed or not specified, it can be labeled broadly as \u201cfish meal.\u201d AAFCO\u2019s 2023 revised guidance also indicates that for fish-derived ingredients such as fish meal, it is acceptable to label them as \u201cfish\u201d without specifying the species.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Key takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AAFCO \u201cmeal\u201d terms are standardized legal definitions<\/strong> with clear specifications for raw materials and processing. Labels must reflect those definitions (e.g., if by-products are included, it must be labeled as \u201cby-product meal,\u201d not simply \u201cmeal\u201d).

Because rendering removes much of the moisture and fat, meals are protein-concentrated<\/strong> compared with fresh meats. As a result, they are widely used in commercial pet foods as practical protein sources to meet AAFCO nutritional standards at manageable cost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FEDIAF\/EU: How Ingredient Names Are Handled and Labeled<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Specific ingredient names vs. category names<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In Europe, pet food labeling follows EU-wide feed labeling rules<\/strong>, and the ingredient (feed material) declaration has a distinctive feature: manufacturers may choose either:<\/p>\n\n\n\n