The Central Government has announced an amendment to the import regulations for dog and cat food, specifically addressing products containing probiotics. This change adds new sanitary certification requirements for these products. This notification was published on January 17, 2025.
Key Changes to Import Certification (Form-I, Paragraph II):
The amendment introduces a new sub-paragraph (ix) to Form-I, which outlines the additional certification needed for pet food containing probiotics:
(a) Probiotic Identification: The certification must clearly state the name of the bacteria used as probiotics, its source, concentration, and expiry date. This information must be presented in a table format.
(b) Purity Testing: The probiotics used must be tested and certified as free from other facultative aerobic microorganisms (including pathogenic ones) and other contaminants.
(c) Finished Product Testing: The finished dog and cat food product must undergo testing to ensure that the level of facultative aerobic microorganisms (excluding the added probiotics) is less than 5×10³ per gram or milliliter. This testing must be conducted on at least five randomly selected samples from each processed batch during or after storage. If the microorganism concentration is higher, the manufacturer must provide evidence of an equivalent efficacy process approved in advance by Indian authorities.
(d) Non-Medicinal Use: The certification must explicitly state that the probiotics are not intended for use as drugs or for medicinal purposes.
