The benefits of dog food with insects
by Nicolas Bartholomeeusen on Jul 01 2026· 4 min readKey takeaways
- Black soldier fly larvae protein provides all ten essential amino acids with digestibility comparable to poultry meal in dogs.
- As a novel protein with no prior exposure history in most dogs, insect meal is an effective option for food allergy elimination diets.
- Insect farming produces roughly 100x less greenhouse gas per kg of protein than cattle, using a fraction of the land and water.
- The EU approved black soldier fly larvae and mealworm for pet food in 2021 following a full European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) safety review.
Dog food with insects has moved from novelty to mainstream pet store shelf space across Europe over the past five years. Two things are driving it: the health profile of insect protein holds up under scientific scrutiny, and the environmental cost of feeding dogs conventional meat is becoming harder to ignore. Both are worth understanding separately.
What the protein actually delivers
Black soldier fly larvae (Hermetia illucens) contain roughly 40 to 50% protein on a dry matter basis, depending on how they're raised and processed [1]. That protein carries a complete essential amino acid profile, with digestibility coefficients for dogs comparable to poultry meal in controlled studies [1].
Insect meal also contains lauric acid, a medium-chain saturated fatty acid found in concentrations of around 40 to 50% of the fat fraction in BSFL [2]. Lauric acid has documented antimicrobial properties in animal studies. Whether this translates to clinical benefits for dogs at typical diet quantities is still being studied, but it contributes to a favorable fatty acid profile compared to many conventional foods.
Key nutrients in insect meal
Complete essential amino acids including taurine. High digestibility (75–87% in dogs). Lauric acid with antimicrobial properties. B-vitamins, zinc, and iron at meaningful concentrations.
The allergen advantage
Animal protein sources (beef, dairy, chicken) account for nearly two-thirds of documented food allergy triggers in dogs [3]. Insect protein is novel to almost every dog's immune system. No prior exposure means no prior sensitization. For dogs diagnosed with food allergies to conventional meats, an insect-based single-protein food is a clinically recommended dietary option [3].
The environmental case
Insects convert feed to body mass roughly 2.5 times more efficiently than chickens and 12 times more efficiently than cattle [4]. Producing one kilogram of insect protein emits approximately 1 to 2.7 kg of CO2 equivalent, compared to 14 to 33 kg for beef protein [4].
A study published in PLOS ONE estimated that dogs and cats in the United States alone account for roughly 25 to 30% of the environmental impact of US meat production [5]. As global pet ownership grows, that footprint grows with it. Shifting demand toward insect protein is one of the few practical levers available to individual owners.
EU approval and regulatory status
The European Commission approved black soldier fly larvae and yellow mealworm for use in dog and cat food in 2021 [6]. The approval followed a safety assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and means these ingredients are held to the same quality and safety standards as conventional pet food proteins in the EU market.
IMBY Insect-Based Vitality Dog Food
Complete everyday dry food powered by Black Soldier Fly larvae protein. Hypoallergenic, suitable for all breeds and life stages.
IMBY GI Sensitive Dog Food
Grain-free insect-based food for dogs with food allergies or sensitive digestion. Single protein source, prebiotics, no common allergens.
Good for the dog, lighter on the planet
The health case and the sustainability case point in the same direction. That doesn't happen often.
See the insect-based rangeReferences
[1] Bosch G, Zhang S, Oonincx DGAB, Hendriks WH. Protein quality of insects as potential ingredients for dog and cat foods. J Nutr Sci. 2014;3:e29.
[2] Spranghers T, Ottoboni M, Klootwijk C, et al. Nutritional composition of black soldier fly prepupae reared on different organic waste substrates. J Sci Food Agric. 2017;97(8):2605–2613.
[3] Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P. Critically appraised topic on adverse food reactions of companion animals (2): common food allergen sources in dogs and cats. BMC Vet Res. 2016;12:9.
[4] Oonincx DGAB, de Boer IJM. Environmental impact of the production of mealworms as a protein source for humans: a life cycle assessment. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(12):e51145.
[5] Okin GS. Environmental impacts of food consumption by dogs and cats. PLoS ONE. 2017;12(8):e0181301.
[6] European Commission. Commission Regulation (EU) 2021/1372 of 17 August 2021. Official Journal of the European Union. 2021.
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