INSECT PROTEIN – NUTRITION COUPLED WITH SUSTAINABILITY
Insect protein is gaining popularity for its potential to feed people, pets and animals raised in traditional agriculture settings. It’s exciting for many reasons.
- Great Nutrition – Insects are superfoods delivering a complete protein coupled with vitamins, minerals and fiber.
- A Sustainable Food Source – Less land, less water and fewer greenhouse gases are just part of the story.
- Humane – A natural protein source that
The insect species that are currently used in pet food include crickets and black soldier fly larva (aka BSFL or Grubs). Mealworm farms are also being developed and we anticipate seeing pet products made with mealworm in the next 2-3 years.
While both crickets and grubs are sustainable, there are a couple of areas that set the grubs apart from a sustainability perspective. In this post, we’ll explore what makes these proteins so sustainable and then focus in on the areas that take the grub to the next level!
WHAT MAKES SOMETHING SUSTAINABLE? 🌱
The most often quoted definition of sustainability comes from the UN World Commission on Environment and Development:
“sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
The goal with insect farming is to generate protein while avoiding the problems that we have with traditional livestock. Those problems include high levels of carbon emissions & ammonia, inefficient land use, deforestation, high water usage coupled with water degradation, etc.
While not perfect, insect farming is exponentially better than traditional livestock farming.
WHAT MAKES INSECT FARMING SUSTAINABLE?
There is a long list of reasons why insect protein is sustainable. Our shorthand is to say less land, less water and fewer greenhouse gases but there is much more to it than that! Here are the key reasons why insects are sustainable, and these reasons are consistent across both cricket and grub farming.
LESS LAND NEEDED
On an insect farm, there is no need for acres of grassland. These farms are indoors, and the latest farms are designed so that they can add additional capacity vertically – incredibly space-efficient!
Less Land:
FARMED INDOORS
Everything is contained in a “barn”. This is important because it means that there is no waste water run off or manure to dispose of.
NO WASTE
The entire animal is edible and used. Even the bedding and excrement is collected and used as a fertilizer called FRASS (see below for more on FRASS!)
SHORT LIFE CYCLE
Insects mature quickly (measured in weeks) and that means that many generations of insects can be reared throughout the course of a year. Compare to a cow that takes over a year to grow to maturity.
GROW QUICKLY
Not only do they mature quickly but their rate of growth is astounding. Grubs grow 1000x their size in 3 short weeks.
NATURALLY SWARMING
Insects prefer to live together – crickets and grubs are a naturally swarming species. They prefer to live in close proximity to each other, so, you can humanely raise them in tight quarters.
LAY MANY EGGS
Insects reproduce at a high rate. Take the grub as an example – the mature fly can lay up to 500 eggs easily in one go (compare to a single calf for a cow with a gestation period of ~280 days).
COLD BLOODED
Insects are cold-blooded, they are highly efficient in converting low-grade feed to high quality protein. Cold-blooded animals need less energy than warm-blooded animals who need more power to produce heat and regulate their constant body temperature. That’s what makes them more efficient in converting food!
BETTER FEED CONVERSION
Feed conversion ratio is something that livestock farmers focus on. A better feed conversion ratio means that you need less feed to grow a pound of protein. Insects have excellent feed conversion ratios (this is related to the fact that they are cold blooded).
Feed Conversion:
LESS WATER 💧
Crickets and grubs require a fraction of the water that traditional livestock require. Grubs can get most of the water that they require from their food source.
Water Usage: 
FEWER GREENHOUSE GASES
With insects there’s almost no methane produced (a far worse greenhouse gas than CO2). This is where you really see us fighting climate change with this solution.
Greenhouse Gases:
FRASS MAKES PLANTS STRONGER
Frass is an all-natural agricultural product composed of insect frass (manure), exoskeletons, and residual plant-based insect feed. It makes soil better and plants stronger! This is one of the reasons why you see insects referred to in circular agriculture.
FRASS Benefits:
GRUBS ARE EVEN MORE SUSTAINABLE THAN CRICKETS 🐛
Insect protein it such a great solution, it’s hard to believe that there are even more benefits possible, but it’s true! Here’s a few areas where grubs deliver even more sustainability!
MORE PER ACRE
Grubs can yield one to two million pounds of protein per acre of production per year due to breeding and growth efficiency of the black soldier fly, as well as the enhanced ability to vertically farm this species.
Yield per acre of land:
CIRCULAR AGRICULTURE
One of the many reasons that the grub or BSFL is moving to the forefront of insect protein is their ability to utilize virtually any feed source. Grubs can not only accelerate the breakdown of waste but can also use that waste as a feed source for themselves, thus limiting what we put into landfills. The grubs that are used for pet food utilize pre-consumer food by-products such as brewer’s grains and cookie meal, which could otherwise end up in the landfill. The difference between pre- and post-consumer food waste is who last handled the food before it’s considered a “waste” product. Pre-consumer food by-products (also known as pre-consumer food waste) are last handled by any entity (person or company) responsible for food production. Post-consumer food waste is last handled by the consumer.
OFFERING A VARIETY OF INSECT PROTEINS
At Jiminy’s, we’re thrilled to be able to offer a variety of insect proteins to our customers. We believe it is beneficial to the dog – we love rotation diets (see our blog post explaining rotation diet) – each of the insect proteins offer slightly different taste and nutritional benefit.
Happy pets, healthy planet!! 🐾
Frequently Asked Questions About Grubs (Black Soldier Fly Larvae)
1. What are grubs or BSFL in pet food?
“Grubs” refer to black soldier fly larvae (BSFL), a larval stage of the Hermetia illucens insect used as a sustainable, high-quality protein source in pet food and animal feed. They convert organic waste into nutrient-rich biomass suited for dry food and treats.
2. Why are BSFL considered sustainable compared to traditional proteins?
BSFL require significantly less land, water, and feed than livestock like cattle or poultry and greatly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. They can also break down organic waste that would otherwise go to landfills, making them a circular, low-impact protein source.
3. How do BSFL help reduce environmental waste?
Black soldier fly larvae efficiently consume organic by-products and pre-consumer waste, converting it into nutrient-dense protein and reducing landfill contributions. This waste-to-biomass process supports more sustainable agriculture and reduces environmental methane emissions.
4. Are BSFL nutritionally good for dogs?
Yes. BSFL are high in high-quality protein, essential amino acids, healthy fats, and minerals, making them a complete and nutritious protein source for pets comparable to traditional animal proteins.
5. Do insects like BSFL improve pet digestion or gut health?
In addition to protein, BSFL contain beneficial nutrients and fats that support healthy digestion. Studies show insect-based meals are well digested and accepted by animals like dogs and cats, hinting at positive effects on the gut microbiome and stool quality.
6. Can BSFL protein replace traditional proteins in dog food?
Yes — BSFL protein is highly digestible and provides essential amino acids dogs need, which allows it to be used as a full or partial alternative to traditional proteins like chicken or beef while offering sustainability benefits.
7. Are there other benefits to BSFL besides nutrition?
Yes — beyond nutrition, BSFL production supports circular agriculture, turning by-products and waste into valuable nutrients and biomass while reducing pressure on conventional feed crops like soy or fishmeal.
8. Is BSFL protein hypoallergenic for pets?
Many dogs respond well to insect proteins like BSFL because they are novel proteins — meaning most pets haven’t been exposed to them before — which can make them easier on sensitive stomachs or helpful in managing food sensitivities.
9. How does BSFL support a circular economy?
BSFL bio-convert organic waste into protein, reducing landfill volume and enabling a closed-loop system where waste becomes nutrient-rich feed ingredients and even fertilizer components (frass) useful in agriculture.
10. Why are BSFL called a “sustainable superstar”?
BSFL deliver a unique combination of nutritional completeness, low environmental impact, waste-to-value processing, and scalability, positioning them as a frontrunner in sustainable food systems for pets and livestock.
