Department of Morphology, Imaging, Orthopaedics, Rehabilitation and Nutrition, Ghent University, Salisburylaan, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Department of Food Technology, Safety and Health, Ghent University, Gent, Belgium.
J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl). 2024 Nov;108(6):1833-1843. doi: 10.1111/jpn.14019. Epub 2024 Jul 18.
Alternative diets for pets have gained attention in recent years due to concerns about sustainability and environmental impact. One emerging option is the inclusion of edible insects in pet food. This study aimed to survey dog (DO) and cat (CO) owners regarding their willingness to feed insect-based pet food (IBPF) to their pets and to identify potential motivating factors. A total of 435 valid responses were evaluated, with 66% being DO and 58% CO. Of those, 24% owned both dogs and cats. About half of DO (52%) and 62% of CO were positive about IBPF. CO had a higher acceptance of IBPF than DO (p < 0.05). Moreover, both DO and CO showed a significant increase in acceptance if IBPF has been proven to provide sustainable and nutritional benefits (p < 0.01). CO adhering to a specific diet themselves showed a significantly higher acceptance of IBPF (p < 0.05), however it was independent of the type of diet. Additionally, 32% of DO and 34% of CO reported prior experience with eating edible insects themselves, and a positive entomophagy experience increased DO's (p = 0.108) and CO's (p < 0.01) acceptance of IBPF. Furthermore, the interest in entomophagy resulted in increased acceptance of IBPF by both DO and CO who had not yet tried insects (p < 0.01). In conclusion, pet owners demonstrated a favourable perception of IBPF and showed a willingness to incorporate these products into their pets' diets. CO displayed a more positive perception compared to DO, suggesting a beneficial focus on the feline niche. To enhance overall acceptance, emphasizing sustainability and conducting further research to establish the nutritional benefits of IBPF are crucial. The findings of this study provide valuable insights for pet food manufacturers and marketers to develop strategies and products aligned with the preferences and needs of pet owners.
近年来，由于对可持续性和环境影响的关注，宠物的替代饮食引起了关注。一种新兴的选择是在宠物食品中加入可食用昆虫。本研究旨在调查狗（DO）和猫（CO）主人是否愿意给他们的宠物喂食基于昆虫的宠物食品（IBPF），并确定潜在的激励因素。共评估了 435 份有效回复，其中 66%是 DO，58%是 CO。其中，24%的人同时拥有狗和猫。大约一半的 DO（52%）和 62%的 CO 对 IBPF 持积极态度。CO 对 IBPF 的接受程度高于 DO（p<0.05）。此外，如果 IBPF 被证明具有可持续性和营养价值，DO 和 CO 的接受程度都会显著增加（p<0.01）。自己坚持特定饮食的 CO 对 IBPF 的接受程度显著更高（p<0.05），但这与饮食类型无关。此外，32%的 DO 和 34%的 CO 报告自己有食用可食用昆虫的经验，积极的食用昆虫经验增加了 DO（p=0.108）和 CO（p<0.01）对 IBPF 的接受程度。此外，对食用昆虫的兴趣增加了那些尚未尝试过昆虫的 DO 和 CO 对 IBPF 的接受程度（p<0.01）。总之，宠物主人对 IBPF 的看法是有利的，并表示愿意将这些产品纳入宠物的饮食中。CO 比 DO 表现出更积极的看法，这表明关注猫科动物的利基市场是有益的。为了提高整体接受程度，强调可持续性并进行进一步的研究以确定 IBPF 的营养价值至关重要。这项研究的结果为宠物食品制造商和营销人员提供了有价值的见解，以制定符合宠物主人偏好和需求的策略和产品。
