September 27, 2022
Our research article is published: BSF fat health benefits
Great news! Our scientific research article with insect farm Protix and the Technical University of Munich Campus Straubing for Biotechnology and Sustainability is approved and published in the Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology.The publication highlights potential health benefits of using fat from the insect black soldier fly (BSF) in canine and feline nutrition. BSF fat is highly digestible and has several interesting health benefits, supporting its use as a functional pet food ingredient. The article highlights health promoting effects within three main areas:
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Ageing canine brain health: The benefits of the medium chain triglyceride (MCT) Lauric Acid that is present in high percentages in BSF fat may have significant applications as a supplement for ageing canine brain health. Several studies have indicated that dietary MCT inclusion can have a positive impact on the cerebral function of aged canines, including improved performance in cognitive ability tests.
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Antimicrobial health: The medium-chain fatty acid Trilaurin or Lauric Acid present in BSF fat has been found to demonstrate strong antimicrobial properties which have many potential uses in animal feed inclusion. BSF fat extracts have been shown to suppress the growth of pathogenic bacteria species including Salmonella typhimurium, E. coli, Clostridium perfringens and Pseudomonas aureginosa.
- Antioxidant activity & intestinal health: The antioxidant activity of BSF fat is well established in livestock nutrition. BSF fat has been demonstrated to reduce intestinal inflammation in aquaculture settings. BSF fat has also been demonstrated to improve antioxidant capacity in production poultry. Further research into the antioxidant capacity of BSF fats in companion animal diets is an exciting area of future research.
Our Lead Vet & Head of Product Development, co-author of the article, Dr. Nicky Sluczanowski, sees several application areas for pet health:
“The application of BSF fat in companion animal nutrition is a very exciting area of current research. In particular, I see strong future potential for the key functional benefits of improved senior canine brain health. The demonstrated anti-microbial activity of BSF fat is also very significant given the global rise of antimicrobial resistance and multi-drug resistant pathogens.”
Despite BSF ingredients being considered as healthy and sustainable alternatives to conventional animal ingredients in pet food formulations, BSF fat has received little attention from the pet food industry.
“Until now, insect proteins have received major attention for use in pet food formulations. In this review paper, we provide evidence about the nutritional and health promoting potential of black soldier fly larvae (BSF) fat. Consuming diets with BSF fat could improve brain and gut health of pets”, says Dr. Aman Paul, Director Product Development at Protix.
We are grateful for our strong research and product development partnership with Protix to unlock health and sustainability benefits from the application of insect ingredients.
Despite BSF ingredients being considered as healthy and sustainable alternatives to conventional animal ingredients in pet food formulations, BSF fat has received little attention from the pet food industry.
“Until now, insect proteins have received major attention for use in pet food formulations. In this review paper, we provide evidence about the nutritional and health promoting potential of black soldier fly larvae (BSF) fat. Consuming diets with BSF fat could improve brain and gut health of pets”, says Dr. Aman Paul, Director Product Development at Protix.
We are grateful for our strong research and product development partnership with Protix to unlock health and sustainability benefits from the application of insect ingredients.
