How to Label Guaranteed Analysis for Pet Food (With Examples)

Guaranteed Analysis is the heart of pet food labelling — it is not a marketing figure but the manufacturer's "guaranteed range" for the feed's nutrition, allowing the competent authority and consumers to verify it during sampling. In practice it is expressed as "minimum/maximum": crude protein and crude fat are stated as a minimum (min), crude fibre and moisture are stated as a maximum (max), and every figure must match the actual formula and stand up to sampling. This article explains how to label it, why it is labelled this way, and the common mistakes. (For the full overview, see the Malaysia Pet Food Regulations and Labelling Guide.)

What does guaranteed analysis state?

The four most basic items are as follows, with example figures (for format illustration only, not legal thresholds — use your own actual formula):

Why are protein and fat stated as "minimum" and fibre and moisture as "maximum"?

There is clear consumer-protection logic behind this rule:

• Crude protein and crude fat are the nutrition consumers pay for, so they are stated as a "minimum" — guaranteeing "at least this much", so the manufacturer cannot claim high but actually deliver low.
• Crude fibre and moisture are the parts that dilute nutrition the more there is of them, and may even be used to add water and weight, so they are stated as a "maximum" — guaranteeing "at most this much", to prevent padding with water or fillers.

Once you understand this direction, you will not put min/max the wrong way round; getting them backwards is not only a formatting error but also strips the "guarantee" of its meaning.

How to set the figures safely?

A guaranteed value is a "promise", not a "target". During sampling, the product passes as long as the measured value falls within the promised range, so:

• The guaranteed minimum for crude protein/fat should be slightly below the measured average of the formula, leaving a buffer for batch-to-batch variation in raw materials; setting it too close to the average means one low batch will fail.
• The guaranteed maximum for crude fibre/moisture should be slightly above the measured average, likewise leaving room for variation.
• The figures must match the actual formula and be verifiable during sampling; exaggeration or falsehood will be ordered corrected.

Labelling example

A complete block looks like this:

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein ......... Not less than 26%
Crude Fat ............. Not less than 12%
Crude Fibre .......... Not more than 5%
Moisture ............. Not more than 10%

This block, together with the ingredients, target animal, net weight and so on, makes up the complete mandatory pet food labelling items. If the product is imported, this guaranteed analysis must also be prepared together with the label during the DVS process for imported pet food, in place before clearance — do not scramble to add it only after the goods reach Malaysia. In practice, the manufacturer should attach the laboratory data for the raw materials when providing product information, so the importer can calculate and set safe guaranteed values accordingly.

Common mistakes

• Min/max the wrong way round: labelling crude protein as "not more than" and moisture as "not less than" — the wrong direction voids the guarantee.
• Setting the guaranteed value flush with the measured average: no buffer for variation, so sampling easily fails.
• Labelling attractive figures you cannot achieve: writing high protein when the formula simply cannot reach it is exposed the moment it is sampled.
• Contradicting the nutrition claims: the front of the pack says "high protein" while the guaranteed analysis is low — the two clash.

How to self-check

1. Obtain the measured or laboratory data for the raw materials and calculate the average of the four items in the finished product.
2. Set the guaranteed values for protein and fat below the average with a buffer; set fibre and moisture above the average with a buffer.
3. Cross-check against all nutrition claims on the front of the pack to confirm there is no conflict.
4. Send a batch for third-party testing to confirm the measured values do fall within the range you guaranteed.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Q: Is guaranteed analysis mandatory? Yes. It is at the core of feed labelling and allows nutrition claims to be verified.

Q: Can I state only crude protein and crude fat? The four basic items (crude protein, crude fat, crude fibre, moisture) are the common core; the actual items required depend on the competent authority's requirements and the product type, and full labelling is recommended.

Q: What happens if the measured value differs from the label? As long as it falls within the min/max range you guaranteed, there is no problem; exceeding the range (protein below the guarantee, moisture above the guarantee) is a non-conformity and will be ordered corrected.

Q: Should the guaranteed value be labelled exactly equal to the measured value? Not recommended. Leave a buffer for variation, otherwise batch differences will easily cause it to fail.

Self-check checklist

• [ ] Crude protein and crude fat stated as a "minimum (min)"
• [ ] Crude fibre and moisture stated as a "maximum (max)"
• [ ] Every guaranteed value leaves a buffer for batch variation
• [ ] Figures match the actual formula and are verifiable by sampling
• [ ] Consistent with, and not contradicting, the nutrition claims on the pack

Summary

Guaranteed analysis = crude protein/fat (min) + crude fibre/moisture (max), and it must be verifiable. It is the manufacturer's nutritional promise to consumers: the direction must not be reversed, the figures must not be padded, and enough buffer must be left. Want to check your labelling?

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This article is compiled from official regulations and is for reference only; actual compliance is subject to the latest text and review by the competent authority.