Animal dietary supplements

Nutraceuticals

Food supplement

Nutritional supplement

Functional foods

• As defined by National Research Council (NRC, 2009), an animal dietary supplement is a substance for oral consumption by horses, whether in or on feed offered separately, intended for specific benefit to the animal by means other than provision of nutrients recognized as essential, or for provision of essential nutrients for intended effect on the animal beyond normal nutritional needs, but not including legally defined drugs.

• Ingredients in animal dietary supplements include but are not limited to:

Herbs and other botanicals

Extracts and concentrates

Enzymes and metabolites

Organ glandular tissues

Vitamins, minerals, and amino acids (provided above known nutrient requirements)

• There are currently no laws and regulations that address animal dietary supplements as a specific group or entity.

• Animal dietary supplements are typically regulated as “food” under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; however, there are plans to regulate some animal dietary supplements as drugs.

• The 1994 Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act applies to the regulation of dietary supplements for use by humans but not for use by animals.

• At the state level, the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) is charged with the regulation of animal feeds.

• All ingredients in animal feeds must be codified as GRAS (generally recognized as safe), approved food additives, or otherwise sanctioned for use in animal feed.

• Many animal dietary supplements contain ingredients that do not meet the legal requirements to be marketed as foods or drugs.

• Animal dietary supplements cannot claim that they can be used to diagnose, prevent, mitigate, treat, or cure disease; products that make such claims are considered to be illegal drugs by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).