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SRIS stands for Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions. It is a review pathway for animal food ingredients run by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) in partnership with Kansas State University. QSS works with animal food and pet food ingredient companies to prepare SRIS submissions, respond to reviewer questions, and move a new or modified ingredient toward an official AAFCO ingredient definition.
For years, new animal food ingredients could go through an ingredient definition process jointly run by AAFCO and the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM), the FDA division responsible for animal food safety. That arrangement ended when the FDA-AAFCO agreement expired in October 2024.
SRIS was created to fill that gap. It gives companies a path to get a new or modified ingredient scientifically reviewed and, if successful, listed in the AAFCO Official Publication (OP), the annual reference that states recognize for what can legally appear on commercial feed labels.
SRIS reviews are conducted by subject matter experts through Kansas State University's Olathe Innovation Campus, not by FDA. A successful review supports listing the ingredient in AAFCO's ingredient definition process, which is a separate track from FDA pathways like GRAS or a food additive petition, though many companies use SRIS alongside those pathways rather than instead of them. QSS works with companies to determine whether SRIS is the right fit, prepare a complete submission package, and manage the review process from initial filing through AAFCO listing.
Our technical team reviews an ingredient’s intended use, existing safety data, and regulatory history to determine whether SRIS is the appropriate pathway, and if so, which of the three submission levels (Basic Scientific Review, Full Submission Package, or Expanded Submission Package) best fits the ingredient’s complexity and available data.
We prepare the full non-proprietary submission package required for SRIS review, including ingredient identity, manufacturing information, intended use, and the supporting safety data needed for the reviewers to reach a conclusion.
Every SRIS submission is required to go through an AAFCO product investigator before reaching the review team. QSS coordinates that step, making sure the submission is complete and properly routed before formal review begins.
We support communication throughout the review period, helping interpret reviewer questions and prepare responses so the review can continue without unnecessary delays.
Once a submission clears review, QSS supports the steps needed to see the ingredient listed in the AAFCO Official Publication, the reference that state feed control officials use to recognize the ingredient for commercial labeling.
SRIS is one of four routes available for a new or modified animal food ingredient. Here's how the four options compare, so you can make the best decision.
Internal panel or FDA
| Timeline | Fastest to 270 days |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Private or public |
| Best fit | Speed or privacy |
AAFCO / K-State
| Timeline | 60 to 90 days |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Non-proprietary |
| Best fit | AAFCO listing |
FDA
| Timeline | 30 days, then consult |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Public |
| Best fit | Early FDA input |
FDA
| Timeline | Longest |
|---|---|
| Confidentiality | Can stay private |
| Best fit | Proprietary data |
Explore articles and blogs on animal food ingredient regulation and AAFCO requirements.
SRIS (Scientific Review of Ingredient Submissions) is a pathway for new or modified animal food ingredient definitions, run by AAFCO together with Kansas State University’s Olathe Innovation Campus. It was created after the long-standing agreement between AAFCO and FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine expired in October 2024, which removed FDA’s role in reviewing ingredient definitions for the AAFCO Official Publication. SRIS gives the industry a continued route to that listing.
The process and evidence standard are nearly identical, but animal food GRAS adds two extra considerations. First, the safety review must show the ingredient is safe for the specific species it is intended for (target animal safety). Second, if the ingredient goes into food-producing animals like cattle, poultry, or fish, the dossier also has to address human food safety, meaning any residue that could show up in meat, milk, or eggs. CVM reviews animal food GRAS notices under 21 CFR Part 570, which is separate from the human food GRAS program run by FDA’s food safety center.
SRIS offers a Basic Scientific Review, a Full Submission Package, and an Expanded Submission Package. Which level applies depends on how much safety and identity data already exist for the ingredient and how complex the intended use is. QSS assesses an ingredient data and recommends the appropriate submission level before preparation begins.
SRIS submissions must be non-proprietary. This is a deliberate design choice, so the review does not favor one ingredient manufacturer over another, and so state regulators reviewing the AAFCO Official Publication can rely on data that is openly available.
SRIS uses a 60-to-90-day review clock. Unlike FDA’s fixed-timeline programs, the SRIS clock stops when reviewers need additional dialogue or information from the submitter, and resumes once that’s provided, rather than restarting from the beginning.
Yes. SRIS, GRAS, food additive petitions, and FDA’s Animal Food Ingredient Consultation (AFIC) are four separate pathways that can apply to the same ingredient depending on a company’s goals. QSS assesses which combination makes sense for a given ingredient and helps sequence submissions accordingly.Yes, self-affirmed GRAS is currently a recognized pathway under FDA regulations. FDA has signaled it may explore rulemaking that would require all GRAS determinations to go through formal notification rather than self-affirmation, but this has not been finalized as of the time of publication. QSS keeps clients informed of regulatory developments that affect their pathway options and advises accordingly.
Talk to a specialist about your SaMD compliance pathway — whether you are determining classification for the first time or preparing a submission for the U.S. market.