DONGEN, THE NETHERLANDS — Protix released the results of its latest study on March 5, showing a positive effect of insect-based ingredients on dental heath in canines. According to Protix, the promising results of the study open up opportunities for pet food processors to develop new insect-based foods and treatments that target the growing state of demand among pets. animal: oral health.
According to various researches, periodontal disease is one of the biggest and most common health problems in dogs, as it is estimated that 80% of animals three years and older have the disease. According to Protix, the disease is often first recognized by “not very fragrant” breath, known as halitosis (bad breath). Halitosis is believed to be mostly caused by sulfur-producing bacteria, which can break down food proteins, amino acids, mucins, oral fluids and cells, releasing foul-smelling volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) that are responsible for aggravating periodontal disease. . According to Protix, halitosis is a marker of possible dental and gum disease in pets.
Source: ProtixThe study, published in Journal of Insects as Food and Feed, was conducted by researchers at the Federal University of Paraiba (UFBP) in Brazil and sponsored by Protix. It included eight female beagles, half of which were fed an extruded, dry kibble diet consisting of poultry byproduct meal, and the other half fed a comparable diet made with ProteinX©, Protix’s insect-based protein meal that produced from black soldier fly larvae ( BSFL). The level of inclusion of ProteinX in the comparable diet was 29.4%. Dogs were fed their respective diets for 50 days, then fed the opposite diet for another 50 days.
During the study, researchers from UFBP reported a 7% decrease in VSC-producing bacteria in the dental plaque of dogs fed a diet with BSFL. Additionally, based on a metagenomic analysis, the BSFL diet seemed to alter the salivary microbiota as an abundance of Moreaxellaa beneficial bacterium, has been detected in the saliva of dogs.
A panel of blind subjects also examined the dogs’ breath after every 50 days. Using the organoleptic intensity scale, dogs fed the BSFL diet were reported to have a “barely noticeable odor,” scoring a one, while dogs fed the poultry byproduct diet had a “slight but noticeable odor,” who got two.
According to Protix, these findings show that black soldier fly has the potential to help increase tooth and gum health, as well as improve bad breath, in dogs. Additionally, according to the company, the study opens up additional opportunities for pet food manufacturers to expand their claims for a number of BSFL-based products, from dog treats to to dry and wet food.
Protix’s ProteinX combines palatability with high digestibility and is also hypoallergenic. According to the company, it is also more sustainable in terms of land and water use and carbon emissions compared to traditional protein sources.
“We know that scientific facts are important to our customers and end-consumers in making decisions about their pets’ diet,” said Bruna Loureiro, Ph.D., co-author of the study. , lead researcher at UFBP, and product development manager at Protix. “We are committed to working with leading partners to establish a body of factual evidence to allow pet parents to make informed decisions.”
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