Pet Food Contaminant Limit Matrix — Pb/Cd/As/Hg, Aflatoxin B1, Melamine, Mycotoxins × US / EU / CN / JP / KR / BR
Cross-jurisdiction maximum limits for high-frequency pet-food contaminants. Every numeric cell is a verbatim quote of the cited first-hand regulation (mg/kg unless noted; BR aflatoxin limits quoted verbatim in Portuguese per the MAPA Portaria). Cells with no retrievable first-hand numeric limit are marked *honest gap* and are not fabricated.
> Method: derived_from_dataset. The comparison *structure* is original to Pet Data Station; every quoted figure is traced to a first-hand source file. EU uses comma decimals (0,3 = 0.3; 0,01 = 0.01).
The matrix
| Contaminant | 🇺🇸 US (FDA) | 🇪🇺 EU (Reg 574/2011) | 🇨🇳 CN (宠物饲料卫生规定) | 🇯🇵 JP (MAFF 成分規格) | 🇰🇷 KR (사료관리법) | 🇧🇷 BR (MAPA 1.412/2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lead (Pb) | honest gap — FDA sets no pet-food Pb maximum; above-limit Pb is addressed as adulteration under FFDCA §402 (no numeric max to quote) | 5 mg/kg — "Complete feed. 5" (Annex I, Section I, Pb row, general complete feed) | 5 mg/kg (pet compound feed) — "铅，mg/kg：宠物配合饲料 ≤5" (FAO FAOLex chn176390, MOA Announcement No.20 attachment 宠物饲料卫生规定；also ≤10 for pet additive-premix / other pet feed) | 3 mg/kg (= 3 µg/g) — JP spec "Lead … max_value 3 µg/g" | 10 mg/kg (10 ppm) — compound feed for pet/companion animals (애완동물용) per MAFRA 고시 별표 16 '사료 내 유해물질의 범위 및 허용기준' (Art. 11(1)); verbatim row fragment '애완동물용, 사육하는 동물용><10ppm' | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins (B1 & total), not Pb |
| Cadmium (Cd) | honest gap — no FDA pet-food Cd maximum | 2 mg/kg — "complete feed for pet animals. 2" (Annex I, Section I, Cd row) | 2 mg/kg — "镉，mg/kg：宠物配合饲料、宠物添加剂预混合饲料、其他宠物饲料 ≤2" (FAO FAOLex chn176390, MOA Announcement No.20 attachment) | 1 mg/kg (= 1 µg/g) — JP spec "Cadmium … max_value 1 µg/g" | honest gap — framework only (see Pb) | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Arsenic (As, total) | honest gap — no FDA pet-food As maximum | 2 mg/kg — "Complete feed 2" (Annex I, Section I, As row; pet feed not in the fish/fur-animal exception) | 2 mg/kg (ordinary pet compound feed) — "不含有水生动物及其制品或者藻类及其制品的宠物配合饲料 ≤2" (FAO FAOLex chn176390; ≤10 when aquatic/algae ingredients present; ≤4 for additive-premix/other without aquatic/algae) | honest gap — As not listed in the retrieved JPMAFF 成分規格 contaminant set | 10 mg/kg (10 ppm) — compound feed for pet/companion animals (애완동물용) per MAFRA 고시 별표 16; verbatim row fragment '애완동물용, 사육하는 동물용><10ppm' | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Mercury (Hg) | honest gap — no FDA pet-food Hg maximum | 0.3 mg/kg — "compound feed for dogs, cats and fur animals. 0,3" (Annex I, Section I, Hg row) | 0.3 mg/kg — "汞，mg/kg：宠物配合饲料、宠物添加剂预混合饲料、其他宠物饲料 ≤0.3" (FAO FAOLex chn176390) | honest gap — Hg not listed in the retrieved JPMAFF 成分規格 contaminant set | honest gap — framework only | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Aflatoxin B1 | 20 ppb (= 0.02 mg/kg) total aflatoxins — "pets (dogs, cats, rabbits, etc.) of all ages … 20 ppb" (CPG 683.100, animal-food action level) | 0.01 mg/kg — "Complementary and complete feed 0,01" (Annex I, Section II, Aflatoxin B1 row; pets not in the stricter dairy/young-animal exception) | 10 µg/kg (= 0.01 mg/kg) — "黄曲霉毒素 B1，µg/kg：宠物配合饲料、宠物添加剂预混合饲料、其他宠物饲料 ≤10" (FAO FAOLex chn176390) | 0.02 mg/kg (= 20 µg/kg) — JP spec "Aflatoxin B₁ … max_value 0.02 mg/kg" | honest gap — framework only | 10 µg/kg — "aflatoxina B1: limite máximo de dez microgramas por quilograma" (Portaria SDA/MAPA nº 1.412/2025, Art. 5º I; for pet food "alimento para cães e gatos") |
| Melamine | honest gap — no FDA pet-food melamine maximum (adulteration if present) | 2,5 mg/kg — "7. Melamine … Feed 2,5 with the exception of — canned pet food 2,5 … The maximum level is applicable to canned pet food as sold" (Annex I Section I, melamine row; added by Commission Reg (EU) 107/2013, CELEX 32013R0107, amending Directive 2002/32/EC — note: the brief's "127/2013" is a mis-citation) _(src: EU Reg (EU) 107/2013; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_127_2013_melamine.txt)_ | 2.5 mg/kg — "三聚氰胺，mg/kg：宠物配合饲料、宠物添加剂预混合饲料、其他宠物饲料 ≤2.5" (FAO FAOLex chn176390) | 2.5 mg/kg — JP spec "Melamine … max_value 2.5 mg/kg" | honest gap — framework only | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Deoxynivalenol (DON) | honest gap — no first-hand US pet-feed DON max retrieved | honest gap — EU Reg (EC) 574/2011 Annex I Section II (mycotoxins) sets feed max levels only for Aflatoxin B1 and Rye ergot; no EU first-hand max level for DON in pet feed (not fabricated) _(src: EU Reg 574/2011; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt)_ | honest gap — no first-hand CN pet-feed DON max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand JP pet-feed DON max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand KR pet-feed DON max retrieved | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Fumonisins (B1 + B2) | honest gap — no first-hand US pet-feed fumonisin max retrieved | honest gap — no EU first-hand max level for fumonisins in pet feed (574/2011 Annex I Section II covers only Aflatoxin B1 & Rye ergot) _(src: EU Reg 574/2011; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt)_ | honest gap — no first-hand CN pet-feed fumonisin max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand JP pet-feed fumonisin max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand KR pet-feed fumonisin max retrieved | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Ochratoxin A | honest gap — no first-hand US pet-feed ochratoxin A max retrieved | honest gap — no EU first-hand max level for ochratoxin A in pet feed (574/2011 Annex I Section II covers only Aflatoxin B1 & Rye ergot) _(src: EU Reg 574/2011; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt)_ | honest gap — no first-hand CN pet-feed ochratoxin A max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand JP pet-feed ochratoxin A max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand KR pet-feed ochratoxin A max retrieved | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Zearalenone | honest gap — no first-hand US pet-feed zearalenone max retrieved | honest gap — no EU first-hand max level for zearalenone in pet feed (574/2011 Annex I Section II covers only Aflatoxin B1 & Rye ergot) _(src: EU Reg 574/2011; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt)_ | honest gap — no first-hand CN pet-feed zearalenone max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand JP pet-feed zearalenone max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand KR pet-feed zearalenone max retrieved | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| T-2 and HT-2 toxins | honest gap — no first-hand US pet-feed T-2/HT-2 max retrieved | honest gap — no EU first-hand max level for T-2/HT-2 in pet feed (574/2011 Annex I Section II covers only Aflatoxin B1 & Rye ergot) _(src: EU Reg 574/2011; pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt)_ | honest gap — no first-hand CN pet-feed T-2/HT-2 max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand JP pet-feed T-2/HT-2 max retrieved | honest gap — no first-hand KR pet-feed T-2/HT-2 max retrieved | honest gap — BR Portaria 1.412/2025 covers only aflatoxins |
| Total aflatoxins (B1+B2+G1+G2) | honest gap — FDA cites 20 ppb total aflatoxins for pets under CPG 683.100 (see Aflatoxin B1 row), but no separate standalone "total aflatoxin" pet-feed maximum quoted here | honest gap — no separate EU first-hand "total aflatoxin" pet-feed max (EU 574/2011 sets only Aflatoxin B1) | honest gap — no first-hand CN "total aflatoxin" pet-feed max retrieved (CN row above is B1 only) | honest gap — no first-hand JP "total aflatoxin" pet-feed max retrieved | honest gap — framework only | 20 µg/kg — "aflatoxina total: limite máximo de vinte microgramas por quilograma" (Portaria SDA/MAPA nº 1.412/2025, Art. 5º II; sum of B1+B2+G1+G2, for pet food "alimento para cães e gatos") |
Source notes per cell (C1 traceability)
- EU cells: verbatim from
pdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_contaminant_limits.json(extracted from EUR-Lex CELEX 32011R0574, fetched 2026-08-07) for Pb/Cd/As/Hg/Aflatoxin B1. EU levels are mg/kg at 12% moisture; comma decimals. The EU Melamine cell (2,5 mg/kg) is verbatim frompdf-parsed/eu_reg_127_2013_melamine.txt— the headless-chromium DOM of Commission Regulation (EU) No 107/2013 (CELEX 32013R0107), which added the melamine max level to Annex I of Directive 2002/32/EC (consolidated into Reg 574/2011). ⚠️ The brief cited "127/2013" but CELEX 32013R0127 is an unrelated financing-cooperation regulation; the correct CELEX is 32013R0107. The 5 mycotoxin rows (DON / Fumonisins / Ochratoxin A / Zearalenone / T-2·HT-2) are *honest gaps* for the EU cell, evidenced bypdf-parsed/eu_reg_574_2011_annex2_mycotoxins.txt(verbatim Annex I Section II extract): EU feed law sets mycotoxin max levels only for Aflatoxin B1 and Rye ergot — no first-hand EU limit exists for those five, so they are NOT fabricated. - US (Aflatoxin) cell: verbatim from
pdf-parsed/fda_cpg_683_100_aflatoxin_animal_food.txt(FDA CPG Sec. 683.100). FDA action levels are *not* binding tolerances but the enforceable adulteration threshold for total aflatoxins in animal/pet food. - JP cells: verbatim from
pdf-parsed/asia-2026/jp_petfood_safety_standards.json(MAFF 成分規格 under the Pet Food Safety Act). JP units: µg/g = mg/kg. - CN cells: filled from
pdf-parsed/cn_petfeed_hygiene_faolex_chn176390_table.txt, a Tesseract OCR + visually-corrected transcription of the official FAO FAOLex PDFchn176390.pdf(= 中华人民共和国农业农村部公告第20号附件《宠物饲料卫生规定》). The scanned PDF is the first-hand official source; the transcription contains only the six relevant rows and no invented figures. CN uses the pet-compound-feed row as the canonical cell value and notes category-specific exceptions (e.g. As varies with aquatic/algae content). - KR cells: Pb and As filled from
pdf-parsed/kr_feed_harmful_substances_byulpyo16.txt, verbatim from MAFRA 고시 「사료 등의 기준 및 규격」 별표 16 '사료 내 유해물질의 범위 및 허용기준' (Art. 11(1)) — the tolerance table for harmful substances in feed, explicitly listing 애완동물용 (pet/companion-animal) compound feed at 10 ppm for both Pb and As. Cd / Hg / aflatoxin B1 / melamine for KR remain *honest gap*: those rows were not present in the locally-available parsed 별표 16 excerpt (HWP parse truncated after the As row), and feedinfo.go.kr / law.go.kr were unreachable for the full table this session. - BR cells: verbatim from
pdf-raw/brazil/mapa_portaria_1412_2025_micotoxinas_petfood.txt(first-hand DOU text of Portaria SDA/MAPA nº 1.412, de 3 de outubro de 2025). The aflatoxin limits are quoted in the original Portuguese: Aflatoxin B1 = "aflatoxina B1: limite máximo de dez microgramas por quilograma" (10 µg/kg, Art. 5º I); Total aflatoxins = "aflatoxina total: limite máximo de vinte microgramas por quilograma" (20 µg/kg, Art. 5º II; sum of B1+B2+G1+G2). All other BR cells are *honest gap*: Portaria 1.412/2025 regulates only aflatoxins for the pet-food category.
What this matrix deliberately does NOT claim
- It does not interpolate, average, or "fill" missing jurisdictions. A blank/"honest gap" cell means the first-hand source was not retrievable as a quotable substring in this environment — not that the limit is zero or unknown in reality.
- US FDA "action levels" (aflatoxin) are distinct in legal nature from EU/CN/JP *maximum limits*; the column labels them as such.
- EU pet-food rows use the animal-specific rows where the regulation provides them (dogs/cats/fur animals for Hg; pet animals for Cd); otherwise the general complete-feed row.
- The 5 mycotoxin rows (DON / Fumonisins / Ochratoxin A / Zearalenone / T-2·HT-2) are honest gaps for every jurisdiction, including EU. Under EU feed law (Reg 574/2011 Annex I Section II) only Aflatoxin B1 and Rye ergot carry maximum levels; no first-hand EU limit exists for those five, so the cells are intentionally left blank rather than fabricated. They are included as a map of *known* gaps.