IMBY by Curafyt · The science

Hypoallergenic dog food, simply explained

Insect protein your dog has never eaten, in a complete daily food. Here's what the research shows.

IMBY GI Sensitive Dog Food

The science in 3 steps

Why insect protein works

  • 1

    An allergy takes time

    It builds up after a dog has eaten the same protein for a long time. That's why beef, chicken and dairy top the list: they're in most dog food.

  • 2

    Insect is new to your dog

    Your dog has never eaten insect, so its immune system has nothing to react to. Vets call this a novel protein.

  • 3

    Cut into tiny pieces

    In GI Sensitive the insect protein is also hydrolysed: split into pieces too small for the immune system to easily recognise.

Can my dog become allergic to insect later? In theory any protein can cause an allergy over time. A new protein your dog has never eaten makes that much less likely, and hydrolysed protein even less. If the itching comes back, talk to your vet.

What the research shows

Black soldier fly in the bowl

Studies in dogs fed black soldier fly larvae. The skin and mouth results come from the same trial.

  • Stronger skin barrier

    Dog study · 8 beagles · insect vs poultry, 2 × 50 days

    Less water lost through the skin and better skin hydration than on a poultry diet.

    Carvalho et al., Arch Anim Nutr 2024

  • Gentle on allergic dogs

    Dog study · 8 allergic + 8 healthy dogs · 4 weeks

    Dogs with a food allergy kept their itch low for 4 weeks on a black soldier fly diet, with no gut problems.

    Srifawattana et al., Vet Sci 2025

  • Well digested

    Dog study · insect vs poultry

    High digestibility, with less ammonia in the stools than on a poultry diet.

    Cardoso et al., Anim Feed Sci Technol 2026

  • Fresher mouth bacteria

    Dog study · 8 beagles · insect vs poultry, 2 × 50 days

    Fewer bad-breath bacteria in dental plaque, and more of a saliva bacterium linked to oral health.

    Santos Neto et al., J Insects Food Feed 2024

  • Normal stools

    Dog study · 18 Golden Retrievers · insect vs chicken

    Replacing chicken with insect kept stools and digestion normal, and changed the mix of gut bacteria.

    Kara et al., Ital J Anim Sci 2025

  • Dogs like it

    Dog study · 18 Golden Retrievers · insect vs chicken

    Appetite and food preference stayed the same when chicken was swapped for insect.

    Kara et al., Ital J Anim Sci 2025

Why a new protein

What allergic dogs react to most

Share of 297 dogs with a food allergy that reacted to each food. Many react to more than one.

  • Beef 34%
  • Dairy 17%
  • Chicken 15%
  • Wheat 13%
  • Soy 6%
  • Lamb 5%

The protein in IMBY

Black soldier fly larvae

Not on the list. Most dogs have never eaten insect, so their immune system has had no chance to react to it.

Mueller, Olivry & Prélaud, BMC Vet Res 2016

In 30 seconds

IMBY at a glance

  • 3

    complete recipes

    Complete daily food (FEDIAF).

  • 33%

    insect in GI Sensitive

    No meat: insect is its only non-plant protein.

  • New

    to your dog

    A protein most dogs never ate.

  • 0%

    insect or meat in Plant-Based

    Fully plant-based.

Three recipes

Which IMBY suits your dog?

VitalityEveryday food
GI SensitiveFood allergy & sensitive gut
Plant-BasedNo insect or meat
Protein fromInsect + plants Insect + plants Plants only
MeatNo No No
Insect4–19%* 33% 0%
Total protein23–28% 25% 23%
GrainsOats, rice None Oats, rice
AgePuppy to senior Adult, 12 months+ Adult, 12 months+

* Insect share by size and age: Mini and Puppy 19%, Medium 16%, Maxi 15%, Senior 4%. All figures from the ingredient lists on the bags.

Switching

New food in 7 days

Mix IMBY in step by step, as on the bag.

  1. Day 1–2 25% IMBY

    Mostly old food

  2. Day 3–4 50% IMBY

    Half and half

  3. Day 5–6 75% IMBY

    Mostly IMBY

  4. Day 7+ 100% IMBY

    Only IMBY

IMBYOld food

Not eating yet?

Soak the kibble in lukewarm water for 10 minutes so it smells stronger. Still refusing after 24 hours? Contact your vet or our team.

Elimination diet

Testing for a food allergy?

Give only IMBY and water for 8 to 12 weeks, so you can see what the food does.

Yes, during the diet

  • IMBY dog food
  • Fresh water
  • IMBY kibble as rewardsFrom the daily portion

Not for now

  • Rawhide & animal chews
  • Table scraps
  • Other brands’ treats

Why so strict?

One bite of something else can reset the clock. More than 90% of dogs with a food allergy are in remission by week 8 (Olivry et al., BMC Vet Res 2015).

Questions

Short answers

Can my dog become allergic to insect too?

It can happen with any protein, but it's unlikely. An allergy builds up after a dog has eaten the same protein for a long time, which is why beef and chicken cause most allergies. Insect is new to your dog, and in GI Sensitive it's also hydrolysed into tiny pieces. If the itching comes back, talk to your vet.

Is IMBY a complete daily food?

Yes. Vitality suits dogs of all ages, including puppies. GI Sensitive and Plant-Based are for adult dogs from 12 months.

My dog is allergic to shellfish or dust mites. Can they eat insects?

Ask your vet first. Insects share a protein (tropomyosin) with shellfish and mites, and in a lab test the antibodies of allergic dogs recognised insect proteins (Premrov Bajuk et al., Animals 2021). Real reactions seem rare.

How much should I give?

Follow the feeding guide on the bag, based on your dog's weight. Weigh the portions for the first few weeks.

Can I mix IMBY with wet food?

Day to day, yes. During an elimination diet, no: only IMBY and water.

Is insect food better for the planet?

Yes. Insect protein needs far less land, water and CO₂ than meat. See our numbers.

Sources
  1. Allergens in dogs: Mueller RS, Olivry T, Prélaud P (2016). BMC Veterinary Research 12:9. doi.org/10.1186/s12917-016-0633-8
  2. Black soldier fly in dogs with a food allergy (16 dogs, 4 weeks): Srifawattana N et al. (2025). Veterinary Sciences 12(1):68. doi.org/10.3390/vetsci12010068
  3. Skin barrier and hydration, black soldier fly vs poultry meal (8 beagles, 50 days): Silva Carvalho R et al. (2024). Archives of Animal Nutrition 78(2):159–176. doi.org/10.1080/1745039X.2024.2375463
  4. Digestibility, faecal ammonia and gut bacteria, same trial: Cardoso RKN et al. (2026). Animal Feed Science and Technology 343:116872. doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2026.116872
  5. Oral bacteria in plaque and saliva, same trial: Santos Neto EL et al. (2024). Journal of Insects as Food and Feed 10(4):571–583. doi.org/10.1163/23524588-20230098
  6. Black soldier fly replacing chicken (18 Golden Retrievers): Kara K et al. (2025). Italian Journal of Animal Science 24(1):466–483. doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2025.2456682
  7. Length of an elimination diet: Olivry T, Mueller RS, Prélaud P (2015). BMC Veterinary Research 11:225. doi.org/10.1186/s12917-015-0541-3
  8. Insect proteins and allergic dogs: Premrov Bajuk B et al. (2021). Animals 11(7):1942. doi.org/10.3390/ani11071942
  9. Recipes and percentages: ingredient lists on the IMBY bags.
TRY IMBY TODAY

Science-backed hypoallergenic dog food

You've read the science. Now let your dog feel the difference. Try Imby and see results in 8 weeks.

IMBY Vitality

FOR ALL DOGS

IMBY Vitality

Hypoallergenic insect protein kibble with sweet potato, spinach, oats, broccoli, blueberries, and olive oil. Available in sizes for all life stages and breeds.

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IMBY Plant-Based

FOR ADULT VEGAN DOGS

IMBY Plant-Based

Vegan kibble made from sustainable plant ingredients including pumpkin.

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IMBY Sensitive

WITH EXTRA GI SUPPORT

IMBY Sensitive

Grain-free insect protein + prebiotics formula, specifically for dogs with sensitive stomachs or allergies.

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