by Bruna Agy Loureiro, Senior Pet Nutrition Expert, Protix, the Netherlands
The tiny but hard-working black soldier fly (BSF) punches way above its weight in terms of nutritional value. It delivers a wealth of health benefits in petfood and it does a great job of preserving natural resources too. But as all devoted dog owners know: if your pet pooch turns up its nose at the food in its bowl, those attractive on-label claims simply won’t be ingested or digested.
To assess the appeal of insect ingredients, a recent study looks at canine attitudes and behaviour when presented with wet food incorporating a combination of PureeX insect meat and ProteinX insect meal. The results were compared against a hybrid diet additionally including chicken. The dog owners’ opinions of the two diets were also recorded.
Palatability is paramount
Labradors are known for their indiscriminate appetite. But for owners of many other breeds, pickiness can prove a real challenge. Not only is this wasteful and therefore costly, ensuring sufficient uptake of essential nutrients can become an issue.
Consumers want petfood manufacturers to serve up dog food products that meets nutritional demands but that most importantly are delicious to dogs. Enter insects and more particularly the black soldier fly larvae!
Dogs go to the polls
The study involved 170 privately owned dogs and two different diets.
The choice of dogs was based in part on size. Small to medium breeds were selected as generally being fussier eaters than larger dogs.
The diet
A wet food diet was formulated and produced by Normandise Pet Food in accordance with the European Pet Food Industry Federation’s 2024 ‘Nutritional guidelines for complete and complementary pet food for cats and dogs’.
Nutritionally, both diets contained:
- 77 percent moisture
- Nine percent crude protein
- 6.5 percent fat
- Two percent ash
- 1.7 percent crude fibre
To optimise the ratio of protein to fat in the diets, two insect ingredients were used in combination: PureeX insect meat and ProteinX insect meal. Protein is a crucial component of dog food. It helps to build muscle and tissue and support immunity.
The aim of the study was to assess whether dogs (and their owners) would find insects as the sole source of protein a palatable option when compared with a chicken combo. Chicken is a common source since it is easily digestible by dogs and generally well liked.
Two different diets were therefore prepared. These were referenced as the ‘BSF diet’ and the ‘hybrid diet’:
| BSF diet | Hybrid diet |
| 55 percent PureeX insect meat | 36 percent PureeX insect meat |
| 5.7 percent ProteinX insect meal | 16 percent fresh chicken |
| 6.5 percent ProteinX insect meal |
The method
Owners were supplied the dog food in unlabelled aluminium foil trays containing 100 grams of food, with no indication as to the contents or composition.
The owners were divided into two random groups. One started offering the BSF diet and the other the hybrid diet. After feeding their dog for two consecutive days on the allocated diet, they switched to the alternative for a further two days.
During this time, the owners offered one tray per day, recorded their dog’s food intake and completed observations before, during and after each meal. They also noted their own feelings about the feed. These data were then analysed and cumulated for the final report.
Dogs lap it up
The study results show no significant difference in consumption between the hybrid diet and the diet containing insect ingredients as the sole source of protein. On both diets, 90 percent of the dogs devoured (virtually) all the food they were served, leaving only crumbs or traces.
90 percent of dogs give insect ingredients their tail-wagging approval.
A positive welcome
Owners recorded no negative responses to either diet.
The dogs were noted to eagerly anticipate both the feed options by running to their bowl and wagging their tails. Once the wet food was served, they tucked in with gusto, heads deep in their bowl until they had licked up every last morsel.
Even after clearing the plate, 38 percent of the dogs on the BSF diet checked for any remains or asked for extra. This compares with 40 percent on the hybrid diet looking for leftovers. 28 percent also asked for more food.
Insects come naturally
Many animals have a natural instinct for ingesting insects. Why? Because they provide a valuable source of nutrients that dogs, cats and other creatures recognise at some primeval level. Amusing as it is to watch a pet snapping at any passing critter, they are actually swallowing a little dose of goodness.
By harnessing this innate nutrition, petfood manufacturers can create a range of naturally tasty products in convenient formats.
The consumer vote
On-label claims such has a healthy skin, glossy coat and good dental hygiene give petfood products the competitive edge. As well as potential health benefits that ensure products stand out. Pet parents increasingly want premium products that look and smell as good as human food.
Owner endorsement is thus crucial to commercial success. The owners of the dogs in the study were therefore also asked to give their feedback on the two wet diets. They found the organoleptic properties (overall appearance, colour, shape and smell) equally highly appealing with no statistical difference.
More than four out of five of owners would recommend a diet incorporating insect ingredients ether as the sole source of protein or in combination.
Insects as superfood
Ingredient producers are continually building a convincing body of scientific evidence to back what animals know instinctively: insects confer health benefits.
But not just any insect! Numerous studies have demonstrated a range of paws-itive outcomes when incorporating the premium ingredients derived from the larvae of black soldier flies. Importantly, much of the research conducted by Protix is in collaboration with petfood manufacturers, ensuring the results are achievable in real-life scenarios away from the lab.
A library of case studies and white papers catalogues a range of health and wellness benefits:
- Improved oral health, including better-smelling canine kisses!
- More effective skin barrier and stronger antioxidant defences for protection against infections and disease
- Glossier coat
- Alleviation from allergies and itchiness
- Excellent digestibility and, as a novel protein, low allergenicity
Black flies that are green
As well as their inherent and increasingly well-documented health and wellness benefits, the black soldier fly has been purposefully selected for its incredible capacity to quickly convert locally available organic waste into protein and other valuable nutrients. Insects are responsible for far less land and water consumption and produce fewer CO2 emissions than many alternatives.
A very short lifecycle of just two weeks from egg to adult larvae ensures fast and stable production in low footprint vertical farms.
Versatility in application
For manufactures seeking easy-to-incorporate ingredients that meet consumer demand for a tasty, healthy and low-paw-print feed that even the most discerning of dogs will love, insect ingredients offer exciting opportunities.
They’re highly versatile too: they’re hypoallergenic, easily digestible, low in ash and can be incorporated across the range. From kibble to wet food, plus snacks, treats and training aids, flies are creating a real buzz in the petfood industry.
For processing advice, formulation ideas and information about the right inclusion levels, or to discuss bespoke product trials, contact protix.com.
