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Why insects
Both nutritious and sustainable - insects are like meat, but better!
Protein sources in pet food
The insect species used in our products is the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia illucens. This species has been chosen for inclusion in our products due to the premium quality of the protein, as well the impressive sustainability profile.
Protein is a very important nutrient that dogs and cats need to have supplied through their diet. It is important that the protein is of high quality, so that the nutrient can be readily absorbed.. An important factor in assessing protein quality is the digestibility of the protein source. Digestibility is really a measure of how much of a nutrient can be absorbed by the species in question. The digestibility of insect protein from Black Soldier Fly Larvae has been researched in both dogs and cats, and has been shown to have very high digestibility - higher than, or in line with, other animal protein sources.
Protein is made up of smaller components or building blocks called amino acids. All animal species have what are termed “essential” amino acid requirements, meaning these particular amino acids must obtain through dietary means and cannot be synthesised by the body. Insect protein from the Black Soldier Fly Larvae have a rich essential amino acid profile, contributing to the high quality of this protein source.
It is not always easy to know where the protein source in a pet food has actually come from; and suppliers of these raw ingredients can vary depending upon the state of the market. The insect protein in the Petgood products is sourced from a consistent, high quality, Australian-based insect producer; meaning we can guarantee a consistent, traceable, premium protein for our products.
Antibiotics are used in the meat industry in many countries. In some it is used preventively, and in others to fight infections and diseases that occur in animal husbandry. Our larvae are naturally resistant to disease and grow quickly on their own - which means that antibiotics are never used.
Insects are an incredibly resource-efficient protein source, which provides a completely unique sustainability profile. To produce one kg of protein, greenhouse gas emissions are up to 30 times lower than beef. Also use of important resources such as water is lower, even lower than plant-based protein - compared to soy, 330 liters less water is needed for one kilogram of protein. Artificial pesticides are never used and thus do not enter nature. In addition, you don't have to grow any food for the insects - they make use of plant-based food waste that would otherwise go to waste!
Sources: LCA Protix, Parodi et al, House, Mazac, Carbon Cloud
Our insects
We get a lot of questions about the insects used in Petgood products; and these are questions that we love to answer! We are proud of our flagship insect species, the Black Soldier Fly, and could not be happier to share more information about these incredible creatures. They are the true “climate heroes”, providing a rich source of sustainable, high-quality protein.
We exclusively use the larva of the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) as an animal ingredient in our products - given all the health and sustainability benefits, we see no reason to use any other animal ingredients.
Our insects come from one of Australia’s leading Black Soldier Fly producers. Our partner has extensive experience in insect farming and has been chosen based on the very high quality of their insect protein. With a local insect supplier, we can ensure maximum transparency and quality control for the insect protein ingredient in the Petgood products.
The Black Soldier Fly larvae eat a carefully selected mix of high-quality, pre-consumer plant by-products (grains, fruits and vegetables). This plant material that would have otherwise gone to waste is actually “upcycled” by the larvae into a high quality source of protein.
Our insect partner ensures our insects get everything they need. They live in an environment that mimics the ideal conditions for this species, including temperature, humidity, feed material, light levels, and other important husbandry parameters.
Many (including us at Petgood HQ who of course also tasted) describe the taste of insect protein as a “little bit nutty”. The taste certainly seems to appeal to our four-legged customers, as we get overwhelming feedback from owners of pets who love our products.
Research on nutrition and health
Research behind the nutrition and health benefits of insects as a protein source is the basis of our product development, led by our lead vet Dr Nicky Sluczanowski. The latest research shows that protein from black soldier fly larvae is highly digestible and rich in the essential amino acids our pets need.
Sustainability
Today, dogs and cats account for 25% of all meat consumption. Production of animal protein sources has a major impact on the planet. Insects are an extremely resource-efficient protein source compared to other animal protein sources. We tell you more about why this is important below.
The production of protein from traditional sources such as beef, chicken and pork today accounts for large carbon dioxide emissions. The research is clear; reduced meat consumption is a key factor in reducing our climate footprint. A new study from Finland also states that replacing traditional protein sources with insects can reduce our environmental impact by 80%.
Large areas of land are required to raise livestock and meat-producing animals. More than 80% of today's agricultural land is currently used for meat and milk production. Increased spread of humans and our animal husbandry threatens important ecosystems on both land and water. Did you know that of all the mammals in the world, wild animals today account for only 4%, and much of this is due to the fact that their natural habitats no longer exist?
20 tons of insects can be raised on the surface of a tennis court, and our insect farm can produce 10,000 tons of protein on one hectare in a year! If we start to use our resources more wisely, we can spare more land for wilderness and vital ecosystems.
Large areas around the world are used to grow feed which in turn is used for livestock, which in turn is used for food... This is an unnecessary detour and a waste of precious resources. In Sweden, two-thirds of the grain that is grown is used for food-producing animals, grain that could instead have been used directly for human consumption. Over 95% of the soy we import into Europe is used as feed for meat-producing animals, and it has often been grown on cleared rainforest land, further contributing to the destruction of natural habitats.
By ceasing meat and dairy production, agricultural land could be reduced by more than 75 percent, an area the size of the United States, China, the EU and Australia combined - and still manage to feed the world's population.
Our insects live only on plant-based food scraps – our insect farm collaborates with local companies and producers, and makes use of food waste. The larvae then efficiently convert the food waste and by-products into high-quality protein, making production circular and very resource-efficient.
Another important factor for many consumers is animal welfare in the meat industry. From an ethical perspective, there are several aspects to take into account, but if we look at the dog food industry as a whole, the lower traceability makes it more difficult for the consumer to know how the animals lived and were handled. Depending on which country the meat comes from, there are different standards for animal welfare and slaughter, and whether antibiotics or growth hormones are used. Antibiotic resistance is today one of the biggest threats to our public health.
During the breeding of our insects, antibiotics or growth hormones are never used, because insects thrive and grow quickly all on their own. The insects are kept in a habitat that mimics their natural, and when it is time to harvest the larvae, this is done by cooling them down so that they go into a natural dormancy and are not aware of further steps. This means that it can feel like an ethically better alternative as a protein source for your dog or cat, for you who yourself have chosen to exclude meat from your diet.
The most common questions about our insects
Still have questions? Here are our top insect-related questions and answers!
The insect farm is located in the Netherlands. We have chosen to work with this particular farm due to their strong ethical stance and high animal welfare standards. In addition, the farm is located in the EU and through it we can guarantee maximum transparency and control over production quality.
No, the insects are the only animal protein source in our recipes, and our products do not contain any other animal ingredients.
Novel protein sources, such as insects, can be beneficial for pets with food allergies. This is because they have not been exposed to them before, which therefore reduces the risk of an allergic reaction. Our products are also gluten-free, which in combination with the hypoallergenic insect protein, makes the products extra kind to the stomach.
The latest research shows that the protein meal from the Black Soldier Fly Larvae has a high amino acid content and a high digestibility of the amino acids, making this a very high quality protein source. What this really means is that our food covers your pet's need for all essential amino acids and that your dog or cat easily can absorb all the valuable proteins.
The petgood veterinary team together with animal nutritionists have analysed the petgood recipes in detail to ensure that the complete and balanced diets fulfil and or/exceeds the nutritional requirements recommended by FEDIAF (the European Pet Food Industry standard authority). Hence, you do not need to give your pet any additional supplements.
Insects are the only animal protein source in the food. Several ingredients in the food contain protein, such as oats and peas, and these also contribute to the overall protein composition.
The studies done on insects' consciousness and ability to feel pain have not been able to prove that insects experience pain or are aware of their own state of mind. However, the absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence, so it is important for us that the insects are well taken care of when they are alive, and also allowed to end their lives as painlessly as possible. When the larvae are fully grown, they are cooled down, which puts them into a dormant state, which means that the risk of suffering is minimised. They are then ground down to the protein-rich meal that forms the basis of our dog food and other products.
