The feeding school
Learn the basics of insect-based food
Six lessons that take you from who we are all the way to the research behind the food. Read at your own pace - each lesson builds on the previous one.
Lesson 1 - Who is Petgood?
Petgood was founded when our CEO Pernilla welcomed her Labrador Siri into the family. She was looking for a food that was nutritious, healthy and sustainable, but found nothing on the market that lived up to her expectations.
Together with our chief veterinarian Nicky Sluczanowski, the solution was born: insect protein. Our first product was a complete insect-based food for dogs - something we were the first in the Nordics to launch. Since then the range has grown and now covers both dogs and cats. All products are developed with nutrition and health as the top priority, and sustainability as a bonus.
Insects are a fantastic protein source with many health benefits for your dog or cat, while also reducing your climate footprint. Since the launch we've had lovely feedback from our two-legged customers about the difference the products have made - shiny coats, settled stomachs and brilliant energy. The four-legged ones respond with wagging tails and purring head nudges every time it's dinner time.
Today thousands of dogs and cats eat Petgood. Together we make a real difference.
Lesson 2 - Why insects?
Unbeatable nutrition with sustainability as a bonus - using insect protein is a natural choice for us. Since the launch, many dog and cat owners have experienced the difference and tell us about shiny coats, settled stomachs and brilliant energy.
An unbeatable nutritional powerhouse
The larvae are the only animal ingredient in all our products, and they contain plenty of the nutrients that dogs and cats need:
- Easily digestible protein with high levels of essential amino acids, important for muscle building and many of the body's functions.
- Fat, which besides energy provides beneficial fatty acids that support skin, coat and brain health.
- Minerals such as calcium, potassium, iron and zinc.
- Vitamins, especially essential B vitamins.
The larvae also contain dietary fibre that keeps the stomach in shape. Research studies have even shown that they can have a prebiotic effect and increase the presence of good gut bacteria.
Production free from antibiotics
A big advantage of the larvae is that they neither carry nor spread diseases. Thanks to a natural living environment and a strong immune system, the larvae grow quickly and stay healthy. The production is therefore 100 % free from antibiotics, growth hormones and other unwanted substances - important, since antibiotics are a resource we need to protect.
Traceability and sustainability
All our larvae come from one and the same place - the insect farm Protix in the Netherlands. This differs from many other pet foods, where it can be hard to know which meat is used, where it comes from and how the animals have been treated.
The production is also considerably more sustainable than traditional animal protein sources. The larvae require less land, water and feed and cause up to 5x lower carbon emissions for the same amount of protein. The system is circular and powered by renewable energy such as solar and wind. In addition, the larvae eat only plant-based food waste - they make use of resources that would otherwise have gone to waste and turn them into nutrition we can feed our dogs and cats with.
Lesson 3 - How are the larvae raised?
Some of the most common questions we get are about the insects. What species is it? Where do they come from? And what do they eat? Here we tell you more about the foundation of all our products - the insects.
Which insect is used and why?
We use only one species as our base: the larvae of the black soldier fly. They have a very high nutritional value with plenty of protein, essential amino acids and beneficial fatty acids that match the needs of dogs and cats. They grow naturally fast and stay healthy, which means antibiotics are never needed in the production. And they are sustainable to produce, since they require considerably less feed, land, water and greenhouse gas emissions for the same amount of protein as meat.
Where do the larvae come from and how do they live?
The larvae are raised at our partner Protix, an insect farm in the Netherlands that specialises in exactly this species for dog and cat food, and that is a leader in research, quality and innovation. They live in a vertical farming system, in a bedding material where they can burrow down and where temperature and humidity are carefully controlled - they like it warm and humid.
What does the life cycle look like?
The rearing begins with adult female flies laying eggs in warm chambers, which hatch into larvae that start to grow. They grow incredibly fast - from hatching it takes only about two weeks until they are fully grown and at their most nutritious. The larvae destined to become food are harvested at this stage, while some are kept, pupate and develop into adult flies. The adult flies eat nothing at all during their week or so of life, but simply reproduce and lay new eggs. Here lies the key to why the larvae are so nutritious: because the adult flies don't eat, the larvae have to carry all the energy, protein, fat and nutrition needed to become a pupa, develop into a fly, live a whole week and lay eggs.
What do the larvae eat?
The larvae eat high-quality plant-based by-products - a mix of grain, fruit and vegetable residues from local producers. One example is potato peels and leftover small potatoes from a nearby maker of French fries. All the food is carefully checked to be nutritious and healthy. This way the larvae make use of resources that already exist and food waste is avoided.
How are the larvae used in the food?
When the larvae are at their most nutritious, they are harvested. Here too their wellbeing is considered: the temperature is lowered so that they enter the dormancy they naturally do in order to pupate. After that they are processed into the ingredients we use in the food - dried into protein meal, pressed into oil or ground into puree.
Lesson 4 - Can such a small larva hold so much nutrition?
The larvae of the black soldier fly are a true nutritional powerhouse. They contain plenty of easily digestible protein, important for muscle building and performance, and beneficial fatty acids that support skin, coat and brain function. On top of that, minerals, vitamins and fibre that help keep the gut flora in balance.
Protein for muscles and energy
Protein is involved in almost every function in the body - building muscles and cells, transporting hormones, chemical processes and much more. Protein is made up of amino acids, and just like humans, dogs and cats have essential amino acids that must come from their food. The protein in the larvae is rich in essential amino acids, and our cat and dog foods have full and complete amino acid profiles.
Digestibility is a measure of how much of a nutrient the animal can absorb. Good digestibility is considered to be above 80 %. The digestibility of insect protein from the black soldier fly larvae is high, at 85-90 %. Thanks to a rich amino acid profile and high digestibility, our insect protein is a high-quality protein source. Insect protein is also a novel protein source, which makes it a suitable choice for dogs and cats with dietary sensitivities or food allergies.
Fat for skin, coat and brain health
Fat is used as energy, but is also needed for essential fatty acids that are necessary for skin and coat, cell membranes and for the function of the brain and nervous system. The insects' fat is particularly rich in the fatty acid lauric acid, which has proven antioxidant activity and is being evaluated in dogs for its potential to support cognitive function and slow signs of dementia. In 2022 our chief veterinarian Nicky co-authored a scientific article on the health benefits of insect fat. All our complete foods are developed with an optimal ratio between omega-3 and omega-6 (1:4.75), to support a healthy skin barrier and coat quality.
Essential minerals and vitamins
Vitamins and minerals are needed in smaller amounts but are extremely important for many functions in the body. The larvae are particularly rich in calcium, potassium, iron and zinc. Calcium gives the skeleton strength, iron is important for the red blood cells' ability to transport oxygen, and zinc supports the immune system and coat quality. The larvae also contribute B vitamins, which are involved in metabolism and digestion, among other things.
Fibre for stomach health
Dietary fibre passes through the gastrointestinal system without being absorbed as direct nutrition, but still plays an important role for gut health. Some fibres provide satiety and regulate the food's transit time, while others act as nutrition for the gut's bacterial flora. New research shows that insect protein has the potential to positively affect the gut's microflora and increase the presence of good gut bacteria. This is confirmed in a study on our insect-based cat food, where an increase was seen in gut bacteria considered beneficial and a decrease in bacteria linked to digestive problems.
Lesson 5 - Study among pet owners shows improvement in allergy symptoms
During the spring of 2024, Petgood collaborated with Ellinor Hammarberg, a student on the Animals and Sustainability programme at SLU, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. As her degree project she carried out a survey to find out how dog owners of dogs with diagnosed food allergies experienced their dog's symptoms after switching to insect-based food. The result was overwhelmingly positive - a large majority saw an improvement. The summary below was made by Petgood's chief veterinarian Dr. Nicky Sluczanowski.
How the study was carried out
A survey was sent by email to dog owners in Petgood's customer database, aimed at dogs with diagnosed food allergies. The owners were asked to state breed, age and sex, how long the dog had eaten insect-based food and whether the dog had allergies to the environment (such as pollen or mould), mites and/or food. They then chose which symptoms the dog had shown before the switch to insect protein: itching, skin irritation and red paws, ear infections, coat quality problems, gastrointestinal symptoms, and other symptoms in free text. Finally they stated which symptoms had decreased, increased or remained unchanged.
The result showed improvement in the majority
In total 109 dog owners responded. 33 of them had a dog with a diagnosed allergy to several allergens (food, mites, environment), and of these 19 had only a food allergy. In the group with only a food allergy, 79 % reported an improvement in all the allergy symptoms the dog showed - itching, skin irritation, red paws, ear infections, coat problems and gastrointestinal symptoms - after the switch to insect-based food.
Itching, skin irritation and red paws
These were the most common symptoms. In the group with several allergies, 29 owners reported these symptoms before the switch; afterwards 82.7 % (24/29) reported an improvement. In the group with only a food allergy, 16 owners reported the symptoms, and afterwards 93.7 % (15/16) reported a decrease or improvement.
Gastrointestinal symptoms
In the group with several allergies, 16 owners reported gastrointestinal symptoms before the switch; afterwards 68 % (11/16) reported an improvement. In the group with only a food allergy, 9 owners reported gastrointestinal symptoms, and afterwards 88 % (8/9) reported an improvement.
Ear infections
In the group with several allergies, 20 owners reported problems with ear infections before the switch; afterwards 80 % (16/20) reported an improvement. In the group with only a food allergy, 11 owners reported ear infections, and afterwards 91 % (10/11) reported an improvement.
Conclusions
For dogs with only a food allergy, 79 % of the owners reported an improvement in all symptoms after the switch. Broken down by symptom, 94 % of those who reported itching, skin irritation and red paws experienced an improvement, 88 % of those who reported gastrointestinal symptoms an improvement and 91 % of those who reported ear infections an improvement.
We warmly want to thank Ellinor Hammarberg for a rewarding collaboration. The full report is available to read in SLU's database: Feeding insect protein to dogs with food allergies - from the pet owner's perspective (Hammarberg, 2024).
Lesson 6 - Study on Petgood's cat food shows health benefits
A scientific study based on our adult cat food has evaluated important parameters for nutrition and health, such as palatability, digestibility and impact on the gut flora. In short, the study showed that the food has high palatability and digestibility, gives optimal stool quality and can even increase the presence of gut bacteria considered good for health.
How was the study carried out?
A test panel of cats ate our insect-based adult cat food for one month. The same group also ate a chicken-based food for the same length of time, as a control. The control food was identical to the insect-based one, apart from the protein source. During the study, how much the cats ate and how they felt was monitored, with veterinary checks and weighing. Afterwards, digestibility and gut flora, among other things, were evaluated through stool samples.
What did the study find?
All the cats were healthy throughout the study, ate the food with a good appetite and had perfect stools. Three results stood out in particular:
1. 100 % of the cats liked the food. The food had very high palatability - all the cats that took part liked the food and kept eating it throughout the study, even after it had ended.
2. The food had high digestibility. Our adult cat food had high digestibility of all nutrients and a protein digestibility of over 85 %. That is in line with levels for other high-quality premium foods made from more traditional protein sources, and means the cat can easily digest and absorb the nutrition.
3. Increase in good gut bacteria. The food stimulated activity in the gut flora, which led to an increase in gut bacteria considered beneficial and a decrease in bacteria linked to digestive problems. An increase was seen in species such as Bifidobacterium and Megamonas, which are considered beneficial for gut health, and a significant decrease in bacteria from the Clostridium group, which are associated with digestive problems. The study also noted an increase in short-chain fatty acids in the stool of the group that ate insect-based food - these provide nutrition for the gut cells, and higher levels can indicate improved gut health.
Where can I find the study?
The study is peer-reviewed and published in the Journal of Insects as Food and Feed. On our research page we gather current studies, references and articles for those who want to dive deep.