The 10 most common questions about our insects
One of the most common questions we get is what kind of insect we use in our products. This is a question we love to receive - we are proud of our insects and could not be happier to share more information about these fantastic creatures. They are the ones who are the true climate heroes and also the reason why petgood was founded - here are our top 10 insect-related questions and answers!
🐛 What kind of insect is used in the food?
The insect used in our pet food is the larvae of the Black Soldier Fly, Hermetia Illucens.
🐛 What do the insects eat?
The insects eat plant-based organic waste and by-products of high quality; a mix of grain, fruit and vegetable leftovers from local sources.
🐛 Where is the insect farm located?
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.
🐛 What proportion of the food is insects?
Our adult dog food contains 27% insects, and our puppy food 30%. Our cat food contains 40% insects.
🐛 Does the food contain any other animal ingredient?
No, the insects are the only animal protein source in our recipes, and our products do not contain any other animal ingredients.
🐛 Are insects hypoallergenic?
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.
If you'd like to read more about food allergies and insect-protein based food, you can find an article about here for dogs and here for cats.
🐛 Do insects provide enough protein for my pet or do I need to give more of it?
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.
🐛 Are insects the only source of protein in the food?
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.
🐛 Can insects suffer? How are the insects killed?
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.
🐛 Do the insects taste good?
Many (including us at petgood who of course also tasted) describe the taste as a bit nutty. No matter what they taste, they seem to appeal to our four-legged customers, as we get a lot of nice reviews about picky dogs and cats who absolutely love our food!
