Feed & Additive Magazine Issue 3 April 2021

ARTICLE 80 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE April 2021 a fly to munch than picking soy to eat. It has been a publicly known long tradition in specialty pet foods at a small scale for reptiles, birds and ornamental fresh- water fish to consume insects. And now, insects have become available at a much bigger scale for incorpora- tion into mainstream pet nutrition products. Sustainable Pets consume 25 percent of annual meat-based cal- orie intake in the US. Insect production gives low environmental and resource footprint providing alternatives for rendered animal by-products and ‘food-grade’ ingredients. Hypo-Allergenic Insect protein has no allergenic potential identi- fied. Fur and skin problems are one of the top con- cerns of cat and dog owners. Allergies are linked to common animal and plant proteins used in pet food. Insects are potentially good candidates for hypoaller- genic diet formulations at present, especially in low or single protein ingredient pet food formulas. ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE The Black Soldier Fly larvae particularly are able to effectively convert and up-cycle traceable, clean and low value agricultural by-products into insect biomass. Insect farming incurs significantly less carbon than farming livestock, aquaculture, and swine, needing less food, water, and less space. It uses up to 50-90% less land, 40-80% less feed, producing 1000 - 2700 grams less greenhouse gas emissions per kilogram of mass gain compared to conventional livestock. Unlike production of proteins and oils from crops, insect farming does not require large areas of land nor consume significant quantities of water or man- ufactured inputs such as fertilisers and pesticides to grow profitably. As feed production requires 50% of global arable land, insect protein production could reduce the carbon footprint of feed leading to high- er sustainability compared to specialty feed in terms of both scalability and environmental impacts. Fish- meal is a good source of protein, but it has inherent ecological limits and efficiency. Animal protein is another source of nutritious feed which can be sus- tainably produced but it has higher environmental carbon footprint as a whole. HIGHLY EFFECTIVE Insects are ectothermic (cold-blooded) animals. Since energy is not expended on regulating body tem- perature, insects have relatively high feed conversion ratios compared with endothermic mammals or birds depending on species and diet. This implies a highly ef- fective breeding and economic performance of insects. GENETIC IMPROVEMENT Unlike domesticated animals, insects currently used in production are wild and have undergone no genetic improvement. The prospects for greatly en- hancing the feed conversion ratio of insects through genetic improvement are remarkably significant. GREAT PROMISE Key players in the insect based pet food industry such as Yora in the United Kingdom and Protenga in South East Asia play a crucial role in the commit- ment to drive change necessary for our environment. The insect products and technology addresses the food system, responsible consumption and produc- tion, climate action and the need to work together in partnerships towards these goals. Insects have hit the right sweet spots, aligning with natural diets of animals. They are highly nutritious and have low environmental impact. The market of insect protein is a rapidly emerging and innovative industry and addresses the critical demand for ani- mal protein supply chain sustainability. It is time to have healthier food, healthier pets and a healthier planet. The future is now.