Unconventional diets for dogs and cats

spotlight topic:

6. Novel ingredients

Published 15 August 2022 | Updated 22 November 2024

The term novel protein is used to describe protein sources that are not considered part of a conventional diet. There is currently significant interest in the use of insects as a sustainable protein source although clinical research in this area is currently limited.

Stefanutti, D. (2024) A new protein source for pet food: cultivated meat. Companion Animal, 29:10, pp.2-6. https://doi.org/10.12968/coan.2024.0013
Helland, O.B. et al. (2024) Effect of dietary intake of marine ingredients on the circulating total of cholesterol concentration in domestic dogs: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.14045
Baptista da Silva, C. et al. (2024) Assessing pet owners’ willingness to embrace insects in pet food. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.14019
Mikulec, A.T. et al. (2024) Attitudes and purchase intentions of polish university students towards food made from insects—A modelling approach. PLOS ONE, 19 (3), e0300871. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0300871
Kim, H.S. et al. (2024) Evaluation of soybean ingredients in pet foods applications: Systematic review. Animals, 14 (1), no. 16. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14010016
Bosch, G. et al. (2014) Protein quality of insects as potential ingredients for dog and cat foods. Journal of Nutritional Science, 3. https://doi.org/10.1017/jns.2014.23
Bosch, G. and Swanson, K.S. (2021) Effect of using insects as feed on animals: pet dogs and cats. Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, 7 (5), pp. 795-805. https://doi.org/10.3920/JIFF2020.0084
Kępińska-Pacelik, J. and Biel, W. (2022) Insects in pet food industry—Hope or threat? Animals, 12 (12), p. 1515. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12121515
Valdés, F. et al. (2022) Insects as feed for companion and exotic pets: A current trend. Animals, 12 (11), p. 1450. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12111450
Insect-based ingredients in pet food [PFMA] [online]. Available from: https://www.pfma.org.uk/insect-based-ingredients-in-pet-food [accessed 12 August 2022]

For those interested in learning more about insects as a potential food source: Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. Wageningen Academic Publishers, ISSN: 2352-4588. Available from: https://www.wageningenacademic.com/loi/jiff [accessed 12 August 2022]

Unconventional diets for dogs and cats – Novel ingredients