USA: different standards for foods intended for human use vs. for animal use

Quick note: US Food and Drug Administration allow a much lower standard of food to be sold for pets than for humans. It is called "diverting food" from human consumption to pet consumption because for a host of reasons it is at least unpalatable and at worst poisonous to humans.

FDA has authorized the salvage of human or animal food considered to be adulterated for its intended use by diverting that food to an acceptable animal feed use

Commercial enterprises which intend to use adulterated "food" which I presume can be almost anything including euthanised pets (I don't have firm evidence to support that), have to apply to the FDA:

requests for diversion should be submitted in writing to the appropriate FDA District Office

This page provides details. This shouldn't in anyway surprise cat owners. The way these adulterated products are dealt with is to heat treat them to kill the pathogens etc. This heat treated food is like cardboard and the flavour is added in the jelly etc..

I believe pets should get the same quality of sourced food as humans. For me this is all wrong and a symptom of humankind's sometimes unhealthy relationship with animals - from the animal's perspective.

I expect something similar happens in the UK and European countries.