AAFCO has authorized Ÿnsect to use defatted mealworm proteins in dog nutrition. Find out more here…
Alternative protein innovator, Ÿnsect, has been granted permission by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) to use defatted mealworm proteins within dog nutrition.
This is the first time that mealworm-based ingredients for pet foods have been approved in the US.
The authorization came after two years of review by AAFCO, and was granted based on a “comprehensive scientific dossier that included a six-month trial identifying mealworm-derived ingredients in dog food”, the results of which were showing the safety of the product and its nutritional benefits.
In addition, an additional study was commissioned by Ÿnsect with Professor Kelly Swanson from the Animal Sciences Laboratory at Urbana-Champaign of the University of Illinois, which “proved that the protein quality of defatted mealworm flour from Tenebrio molitor can be compared to high-quality animal proteins traditionally used in the production of pet food, such as beef, pork, and salmon”.
Ÿnsect shared that the authorization opens up “huge prospects” for the company and its pet food brand Sprÿng as it believes that pet owners are “increasingly aware of both the benefits of nutrition and environment of animal-based alternatives.”
“We are very proud to have obtained the first-ever authorization for the commercialization of mealworm-based ingredients for pet food in the United States. It is the recognition of more than 10 years of research for the benefit of animal health. This authorization opens the doors to the vast American market as we prepare to deliver our first pet food customers from our Amiens farm,” said Shankar Krishnamoorthy, CEO of Ÿnsect.
Episode 36: Will you eat an insect?
The company aims to reduce the environmental impact of pet food by using alternative protein sources in its products. It explains that mealworms are raised from agricultural products in cereal-producing regions, and says their environmental footprint is “lower than many other traditionally used ingredients”.
“For example, 1 kg of Sprÿng Protein70 flour emits half the CO2 equivalent of lamb or soy flour, and 22 times less than beef flour,” concludes Ÿnsect.
