FEDIAF 2025 allergen free claims

FEDIAF 2025 addresses adverse food reactions in Annex 7.6 — there is no "Section 4.5" and no FEDIAF-defined 'Grain-Free' or 'Allergen-Free/Hypoallergenic' claim rules in the Nutritional Guidelines. What the guidelines do state: the predominant clinical sign of adverse food reactions in dogs and cats (almost 100% of cases) is pruritus; an estimated 10-15% of cases involve gastrointestinal signs such as diarrhea and vomiting. Because immune-mediated reactions are seldom confirmed in practice, FEDIAF uses the general term "adverse reactions to food", diagnosed through an elimination (eviction) diet followed, ideally, by a challenge reintroduction of the suspected component. Proteins most often implicated include milk, beef, eggs, cereals and dairy products, with wheat, soy, chicken and maize named in more controlled studies — though FEDIAF cautions the high incidence may simply reflect how often those proteins are eaten. For affected animals, veterinarians can prescribe special diets made with selected (novel) protein sources or hydrolysed proteins; intact proteins are part of virtually all pet foods except these special hydrolysed-protein diets, and any intact protein can potentially trigger a reaction in a predisposed animal.