1. What Is Meat and Bone Meal (MBM)?
Meat and bone meal (MBM) is a rendered Category 3 animal protein produced from mammalian slaughter by-products that include both soft tissue fractions — muscle, organ meat, and connective tissue — and bone material that does not enter the human food chain. It is the bone fraction that defines MBM as a distinct ingredient category: the calcium phosphate content drives the characteristically high ash content and distinguishes it from pure meat meal or other rendered mammalian proteins with lower mineral fractions.
Meat and bone meal (MBM) is produced from porcine, bovine, or mixed mammalian raw materials depending on the rendering facility and its raw material sourcing. Porcine-derived and bovine-derived product carry different regulatory permissions for use in specific feed applications, making species-of-origin declaration a compliance requirement, not merely a label preference. Mixed mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM), which blends raw material streams from multiple species without segregation, is subject to more restrictive feed application rules and should be specified carefully by buyers operating across multiple target species.
The raw material base for meat and bone meal (MBM) typically includes bones, trimmings, and organ material rejected from the human food processing chain for commercial rather than safety reasons — all qualifying as Category 3 animal by-products under Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009. The quality and composition of the finished MBM is directly determined by the ratio of bone to soft tissue in the raw material input, the freshness and microbiological status of incoming material, and the rendering and drying process parameters applied by the producing facility.
2. EU Regulatory Framework for Meat and Bone Meal
The regulatory framework governing meat and bone meal (MBM) in Europe is built around four legislative instruments that collectively determine which applications are permitted, which are prohibited, and what documentation buyers must maintain.
Regulation (EC) No. 1069/2009 establishes the Category 3 classification under which meat and bone meal (MBM) is produced and traded. Every rendering establishment producing meat and bone meal for the European feed market must hold formal Category 3 processing approval from the national competent authority in its country of operation. This approval is listed on publicly accessible national registers and must be verified independently by buyers at contract signing and at each renewal.
Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 — the TSE regulation — introduced the ruminant feed ban following the BSE crisis and remains fully in force. Processed animal proteins derived from mammalian species, including all forms of meat and bone meal, cannot be used in feed for cattle, sheep, or goats under any circumstances. This prohibition applies to porcine, bovine, and mixed mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM) without exception and has no current derogation or relaxation in prospect.
Regulation (EU) No. 142/2011 specifies the approved processing methods for meat and bone meal production. Processing Method 1 — heat treatment at ≥133°C, ≥3 bar pressure, for ≥20 minutes — is the standard method applied by the majority of MBM producers and must be documented per batch.
Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372 reinstated the use of non-ruminant processed animal proteins in pig and poultry feed from September 2021. For meat and bone meal specifically, the derogation permits porcine-derived product in poultry feed and bovine-derived product in both pig and poultry feed, subject to dedicated processing line requirements and enhanced species segregation documentation. Mixed mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM) falls outside the derogation and remains restricted to petfood and aquafeed applications.
3. MBM Nutritional Profile and Comparison
Meat and bone meal (MBM) occupies a distinct nutritional position in the Category 3 protein matrix: lower crude protein than poultry meal, blood meal, or feather meal, but a meaningful phosphorus contribution that no other common animal protein ingredient delivers at comparable concentration. This dual function — protein source and phosphorus source — defines MBM’s formulation value in aquafeed and livestock feed applications where inorganic phosphorus supplementation costs are significant.
| Parameter | Porcine MBM | Bovine MBM | Poultry Meal (ref) | Blood Meal (ref) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein % (DM) | 50–55% | 50–55% | 65–72% | 85–92% |
| Ash % | 28–35% | 28–35% | ≤ 13% | ≤ 6% |
| Crude Fat % | 8–12% | 8–12% | 10–14% | ≤ 2% |
| Phosphorus % | 4–6% | 4–6% | 1.5–2% | 0.2–0.4% |
| Pepsin Digestibility | 70–80% | 70–78% | 85–92% | 80–88% |
| Price Tier | Low | Low | Mid-high | Mid-high |
The high ash content of meat and bone meal — typically 28–35% on a dry matter basis — is the most significant formulation constraint for high-inclusion applications. Ash does not contribute to digestible nutrient supply, which means that a diet with high inclusion carries a proportionally lower digestible protein density per unit of crude protein declared. This is why meat and bone meal is rarely used as the primary protein source in formulations where digestibility precision is critical, but functions effectively as a cost-competitive secondary protein contributor in omnivorous species and economy feed formulations where the phosphorus contribution has additional value.
Porcine and bovine MBM deliver broadly similar nutritional profiles. The primary practical difference is regulatory: species-of-origin determines which feed applications are permitted under EU legislation, making the porcine vs bovine distinction a compliance parameter as much as a nutritional one.
4. Meat and Bone Meal in Petfood
Petfood is the most established commercial application for meat and bone meal in Europe — the market where it has the longest history as a feed ingredient. Under the EU pet food labelling framework, MBM is declared within the “meat and animal derivatives” category — a broad declaration that allows formulators flexibility in ingredient sourcing without product-specific label disclosure.
In dry petfood manufacturing, meat and bone meal (MBM) functions as a cost-competitive protein contributor in economy and mid-market formulations. At 50–55% crude protein and 70–80% pepsin digestibility, it delivers acceptable nutritional performance in dog food applications where least-cost protein formulation is the primary driver. Its phosphorus content also partially offsets the need for inorganic phosphorus supplementation in the mineral premix, providing a secondary formulation benefit beyond its protein contribution.
Porcine-origin meat and bone meal (MBM) is more widely used in European dry petfood than bovine, reflecting the greater volume of porcine rendering capacity across Northwest Europe and the lower price point of porcine-derived material. For petfood manufacturers with halal-certified production lines, porcine-derived product is excluded from the specification and bovine meat and bone meal (MBM) or poultry-derived proteins are the appropriate alternatives.
In wet petfood manufacturing, meat and bone meal is used less frequently than in dry formats. Its high ash content can affect texture in high-moisture applications, and the bone mineral fraction contributes to a heavier, denser matrix that is less consistent with the texture expectations of most wet petfood formulations. Blood meal and poultry meal are generally preferred for protein contribution in wet petfood, with MBM retained in economy dry formats where its cost advantage is most relevant.
Premium and single-protein petfood lines typically exclude meat and bone meal (MBM) from the specification. The ingredient’s “by-product” classification and its broader raw material definition are inconsistent with the premium ingredient transparency positioning of these product tiers, regardless of its compliance and nutritional acceptability.
5. Meat and Bone Meal in Aquaculture Feed
In aquafeed formulation, meat and bone meal (MBM) occupies a cost-competitive volume protein position in omnivorous species diets where its lower digestibility and high ash content are less constraining than in carnivorous species formulations.
Tilapia, carp, and catfish are the aquaculture species where meat and bone meal delivers the most consistent formulation value. For these omnivorous species, inclusion at 10–20% of diet alongside poultry meal and feather meal or blood meal produces acceptable FCR performance while meaningfully reducing raw material costs versus higher-digestibility alternatives. The phosphorus contribution of MBM — typically 4–6% on a dry matter basis — reduces the inorganic phosphorus supplementation requirement in tilapia and carp diets, where phosphorus bioavailability from plant-based ingredients is limited by phytate binding.
For Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, and marine fish species, the lower digestibility of meat and bone meal (MBM) (70–80% versus 85–92% for low-ash poultry meal) and its high ash fraction limit practical inclusion rate. At high inclusion, the digestible protein contribution per unit of diet weight is reduced relative to poultry meal or blood meal, and the ash load can affect pellet density and water stability. For salmonid diets, MBM is typically used at modest inclusion (5–10%) as part of a broader blended animal protein matrix, with low-ash poultry meal carrying the primary fish meal replacement role.
The phosphorus contribution of meat and bone meal also has specific value in aquafeed applications where total dietary phosphorus must be managed for environmental compliance. In countries where pond or cage aquaculture operations face effluent phosphorus limits, the use of highly bioavailable phosphorus from MBM can partially substitute for inorganic dicalcium phosphate supplementation while keeping total dietary phosphorus within regulatory bounds.
6. Meat and Bone Meal in Pig and Poultry Feed
The 2021 EU derogation under Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372 reinstated porcine-derived processed animal proteins in poultry feed and bovine-derived proteins in both pig and poultry feed — including meat and bone meal from both species — for the first time since the BSE crisis. This regulatory change created a significant new demand channel for MBM in the European compound feed sector.
The commercial opportunity is real and growing. Derogation-compliant meat and bone meal (MBM) is available at a meaningful price discount versus soy protein concentrate — the primary protein source it competes with in pig and poultry nutrition. The nutritional fit is also solid: MBM’s amino acid profile, while lower in digestible protein than premium animal proteins, is well-matched to the requirements of pigs and poultry at moderate inclusion rates.
The conditions attached to derogation-covered use are operationally significant. Dedicated processing lines that prevent cross-contamination between species-origin streams are mandatory. Batch-level species-of-origin documentation must be maintained at every supply chain transfer point. Feed mill monitoring by the national competent authority is required. For compound feed producers implementing meat and bone meal (MBM) sourcing under the derogation for the first time, the documentation and processing infrastructure investment is real but recoverable within the first production season at commercial scale.
By 2025, compound feed producers across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, and increasingly Poland were sourcing derogation-compliant meat and bone meal (MBM) at commercial volumes, with the broader European pig and poultry sectors expected to follow as the supply and documentation infrastructure continues to mature.
7. Species Restrictions: The Meat and Bone Meal (MBM) Compliance Matrix
The species restriction framework for meat and bone meal is the most operationally significant compliance area for buyers sourcing MBM across multiple types and supplying into multiple feed applications.
| MBM Origin | Pig Feed | Poultry Feed | Aquafeed | Petfood | Ruminant Feed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcine MBM | ❌ Intra-species ban | ✅ 2021 derogation | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Bovine MBM | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Mixed mammalian MBM | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
Mixed mammalian product deserves specific attention. Because it blends raw material streams from multiple species — typically porcine and bovine together — without batch-level segregation, it cannot be attributed to a single species and therefore falls outside the permissions granted by the 2021 derogation for meat and bone meal (MBM) in pig and poultry feed. Mixed mammalian MBM can be used in petfood and aquafeed without restriction but cannot be used in pig or poultry feed under any interpretation of the derogation framework.
For buyers sourcing meat and bone meal (MBM) for derogation-covered pig or poultry feed applications, suppliers who supply “mixed mammalian” product without species-segregated documentation are not providing derogation-compliant material — regardless of price position or prior supply relationship. Species-of-origin declaration per batch is a contractual requirement, not an optional parameter.
8. MBM Quality Standards: What Every Contract Must Specify
The quality specification framework for meat and bone meal must address compositional performance, digestibility, microbiological safety, and certification — with each parameter specified per batch and backed by ISO 17025-accredited laboratory analysis.
| Parameter | Recommended Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Crude Protein (DM basis) | ≥ 50% | Higher in soft-tissue-dominant batches |
| Ash | ≤ 35% | Bone fraction indicator — lower is better |
| Moisture | ≤ 8% | Shelf life and microbial safety |
| Crude Fat | 8–12% | Flag significant deviation in either direction |
| Phosphorus | 4–6% | Confirm for formulation value assessment |
| Pepsin Digestibility | ≥ 70% | ≥ 75% recommended for aquafeed applications |
| Salmonella | Absent in 25g | EU mandatory — per batch |
| Enterobacteriaceae | ≤ 300 CFU/g | Post-processing hygiene indicator |
| Species Declaration | Per batch | Regulatory requirement — no exceptions |
| COA Laboratory | ISO 17025 accredited | Verify accreditation independently |
Ash content is the most practically significant quality parameter in meat and bone meal beyond crude protein. It directly reflects the bone fraction in the raw material and inversely determines the digestible protein density of the finished meal. Suppliers who consistently deliver at the lower end of the ash range — indicating a soft-tissue-dominant raw material stream — produce a more nutritionally valuable ingredient than those whose meat and bone meal (MBM) consistently runs at 33–35% ash, even where both products declare the same minimum crude protein.
Multi-batch COA history covering at least 10 consecutive production batches is the standard evidence base for assessing supplier consistency. Single-batch samples at contract signing do not represent the production variance that buyers will encounter across a full supply period. Meat and bone meal (MBM) buyers who specify CP and ash minimums per batch — and enforce them — protect their formulations from the composition drift that characterises less rigorously managed raw material streams.
9. Procurement Red Flags for MBM Buyers
Several indicators reliably distinguish meat and bone meal (MBM) suppliers operating with adequate compliance discipline from those carrying concealed quality or regulatory risk.
A “mixed mammalian” species declaration without batch-level species segregation documentation disqualifies an meat and bone meal (MBM) supplier from derogation-covered pig or poultry feed applications immediately, regardless of any other quality credentials. Buyers who have implemented derogation-framework procurement should remove any supplier unable to provide species-specific batch declarations from their qualified supplier list for those applications.
A COA issued by an internal laboratory rather than an ISO 17025-accredited third party removes the analytical independence that external accreditation is designed to provide. Internal COAs are not an acceptable substitute for third-party analysis in a compliant MBM supply relationship.
Rendering plant approval documentation that is unavailable or “provided on request” rather than supplied proactively indicates a supplier who does not treat regulatory compliance as a standard commercial transparency requirement. Every qualified MBM supplier should provide rendering plant Category 3 approval certificates as a routine component of their supplier qualification package.
Lapsed or unverifiable GMP+ certification — where the certificate provided by the supplier cannot be confirmed through the GMP+ International database — is a material compliance risk. GMP+ certification held only at the trading company level without underlying rendering plant certification leaves a gap in the quality assurance chain that independent audit would expose.
10. Sourcing Meat and Bone Meal (MBM) in Europe
EU meat and bone meal (MBM) production is concentrated in countries with large-scale mammalian livestock slaughter industries — the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, France, Poland, and Spain. The Netherlands and Belgium are particularly significant as both production and trading hubs for porcine MBM, reflecting the density of pig slaughter operations in Northwest Europe. Rotterdam’s position as the EU’s primary import port means that Netherlands-based trading companies also have competitive access to non-EU origin material — South American bovine product in particular — for buyers seeking price arbitrage on origin.
For procurement managers sourcing MBM alongside other Category 3 proteins — poultry meal, blood meal, feather meal, fish meal — consolidating supply through a single Netherlands-based multi-product trading partner offers meaningful operational advantages. Consolidated documentation across all ingredient types, single-point logistics management, flexible order volumes, and import compliance management for third-country origin material reduce the administrative burden of multi-ingredient procurement without compromising traceability or qualification rigour.
Tuva Euro BV, headquartered in Enschede in the Netherlands, supplies porcine and bovine meat and bone meal (MBM) alongside the full range of Category 3 animal proteins to European petfood and aquafeed manufacturers. With GMP+ and Halal certification, ISO 17025-accredited batch COAs, species-of-origin declarations per batch, and verified EU rendering plant approval across all supply origins, Tuva Euro provides the compliance infrastructure and supply chain flexibility that demanding B2B feed operations require.
11. FAQ
What is the difference between MBM and poultry meal?
Meat and bone meal (MBM) is produced from mammalian slaughter by-products — porcine, bovine, or mixed — and carries a high bone mineral fraction that delivers 28–35% ash and 4–6% phosphorus on a dry matter basis. Poultry meal is produced from poultry carcasses and offal, with significantly lower ash (≤13%) and higher digestibility (85–92% versus 70–80%), making it the preferred primary animal protein in premium aquafeed and petfood formulations. MBM’s cost advantage and phosphorus contribution make it the preferred secondary protein in economy formulations and omnivorous species diets where its lower digestibility is less limiting.
Can porcine MBM be used in pig feed?
No. The intra-species recycling ban prohibits the use of porcine-derived processed animal proteins — including porcine meat and bone meal (MBM) — in pig feed under any circumstances. This ban is not affected by the 2021 derogation, which specifically excludes intra-species applications. Porcine-derived product can be used in poultry feed under the derogation, and in petfood and aquafeed without restriction.
Why is bovine MBM banned from ruminant feed?
The ruminant feed ban introduced under Regulation (EC) No. 999/2001 was a direct response to the BSE crisis, which was caused by the recycling of mammalian-derived protein into ruminant feed. Bovine meat and bone meal (MBM) — and all mammalian-derived processed animal proteins — remain permanently prohibited from ruminant feed under this regulation. The ban applies without exception, regardless of the processing method, certification status, or country of origin. Fish-derived processed animal proteins are exempt.
What changed for meat and bone meal (MBM) use after the 2021 EU derogation?
Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372, in force from September 2021, reinstated porcine-derived processed animal proteins in poultry feed and bovine-derived material in both pig and poultry feed — for the first time since the BSE crisis imposed a blanket PAP ban across all non-ruminant species feed. The derogation applies only to species-segregated, single-species MBM with documented dedicated processing lines. Mixed mammalian product remains outside the derogation scope. The ruminant feed ban and the intra-species recycling ban are unchanged.
12. Conclusion
Meat and bone meal is a cost-competitive, regulatory-intensive Category 3 protein ingredient whose commercial value extends across petfood, aquafeed, and — since the 2021 derogation — pig and poultry compound feed. Its dual function as both a protein source and a phosphorus contributor distinguishes MBM from other rendered animal proteins and provides formulation value beyond the headline crude protein figure.
The compliance framework governing meat and bone meal is the most species-specific of any Category 3 protein category. Porcine, bovine, and mixed mammalian material carry materially different regulatory permissions, and the 2021 derogation’s expansion of MBM applications into pig and poultry feed adds documentation and processing infrastructure requirements that buyers must verify — not assume — at the supplier level.
The quality standards that protect buyers — Category 3 rendering plant approval, species-of-origin declaration per batch, ISO 17025-accredited COAs, GMP+ certification, and five-year traceability records — apply consistently across all applications and all MBM types. For European feed manufacturers sourcing meat and bone meal alongside other Category 3 proteins, a Netherlands-based multi-product supplier with verified compliance across all origin types provides the documentation integrity and supply chain flexibility that responsible feed manufacturing demands.
Sourcing meat and bone meal (MBM) for your European petfood or aquafeed operation? Contact Tuva Euro BV.
