What Does "Human-Grade" Actually Mean on Dog Treats?

You've probably seen "human-grade" on dog food and treat bags. It sounds reassuring, but what does it actually mean? It's more specific than most people think.

The official definition

In the US, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) set out what a human-grade claim requires. For a pet food or treat to be called human-grade, every ingredient and the finished product must be stored, handled, processed and transported in a way that's consistent with rules for food made for people. In practice, that means:

• Every ingredient must be fit for people to eat, and the maker needs documentation to prove it.
• The product must be made in a licensed human food facility that follows the FDA's good manufacturing practices for human food.
• It's all or nothing. A product made with one human-grade ingredient isn't human-grade. The whole product, and how it's made, has to qualify.

You can read more in this overview of the legal guidelines and AAFCO's own human-grade guidance document.

What it doesn't mean

• "Made with human-grade ingredients" isn't the same thing. Watch for wording that applies the term to only some ingredients.
• It isn't a nutrition claim on its own. Human-grade tells you about quality and handling, not whether a food is complete and balanced for your dog.

How we think about it at Pupums

We started Pupums because we wanted treats we'd feel good feeding our own dogs. That's why every recipe uses a short list of real, recognizable ingredients, like organic peanut butter, organic sweet potato and rolled oats, with no corn, wheat, soy, artificial flavors or preservatives.

See exactly what goes into each recipe on our Ingredients page, or shop all treats.