AFIA responds to new FDA animal food ingredient review pathway

January 7, 2025 - The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) have said that it is pleased to see the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) establish a new framework for the review of animal food ingredients under the Animal Food Ingredient Consultation (AFIC) program through the issuance of Guidance for Industry (GFI) 294. The FDA's action marks a major shift for the regulation of animal food, providing animal food innovators an alternative pathway to the recently ended process facilitated in coordination with the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

AFIA President and Chief Executive Officer Constance Cullman issued the following statement:

"The AFIA strongly advocated for a clear, modern FDA process that balances regulatory oversight with industry flexibility, and we are pleased to see that several of our recommendations are reflected in this new FDA guidance. Moving forward, we will work closely with the FDA to ensure that this program is efficient, inclusive and capable of accommodating the diversity of ingredients essential to animal nutrition. With our members' input, we will continue to advocate for a streamlined and adaptable approach, allowing the industry to innovate and bring safe, high-quality ingredients to the market faster. This guidance is a step forward, and we look forward to supporting its effective implementation."

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This regulatory change will replace the decades-long FDA-AAFCO pathway, which ended October 1, 2024, removing one of the industry's three primary regulatory pathways - and the one most used by ingredient innovators - for brining safe ingredients to market. FDA's purported goal for the AFIC program is to minimise delays in brining safe ingredients to market, reduce potential gaps in ingredient reviews and establish consistent standards to prevent market disruptions.

The final GFI 294 offers a structured pathway for ingredient innovators to consult with the FDA, ensuring that ingredient safety standards are met prior to market entry. Through the AFIC program, animal food innovators will have the opportunity to engage with the FDA to provide data demonstrating ingredient safety. This guidance also clearly specifies submission requirements, including the type of data needed for FDA evaluation and details the FDA's role in assessing this information, addressing industry's concerns.

For more information, visit HERE.

The Global Miller
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