Protein 360

Driven by consumer demand, sustainability is a fast-growing priority for pet food brands, with best practices and improvements pursued across the supply chain. Petfood Industry’s Protein 360 content explores a wide range of relevant topics, including alternative ingredients, circularity and upcycling, consumer trends, emission reduction, energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, green packaging, and sustainability in action — with a focus on innovation-driven manufacturing and evolving market expectations.

Sustainable Dog and Cat Food

Study: Plant-based dog foods show lower environmental impact

University of Nottingham research comparing 31 commercial dry dog foods reveals substantial differences in land use, greenhouse gas emissions and resource consumption across diet categories.

Researchers examined 31 dry dog foods and found plant-based options consistently required fewer resources and produced lower emissions than meat-based alternatives.

Sustainable Dog and Cat Food

Mars, ADM partner to advance regenerative agriculture in Poland

Partnership will help Mars advance regenerative wheat production for pet care brands such as WHISKAS and PEDIGREE.

White Dog In Green Wheat Field Xtrodinary Pixabay

Insect-based Cat and Dog Food

Insectflux marketplace connects agrifood with insect protein

Climate-tech startup launches global B2B2C platform linking agrifood waste with insect farms to supply sustainable protein ingredients.

Insectflux transforms food waste and organic byproducts into high-value, climate-smart solutions by connecting food producers, insect farms, and buyers across multiple industries from pet food and aquaculture to regenerative agriculture and more.

Insect-based Cat and Dog Food

Innovafeed suspends operations at Decatur, Illinois, insect facility

Company says funding challenges have forced an 18-month pause at its Illinois pilot facility, though it maintains the broader project with ADM remains on track for future expansion.

Innovafeed said the insect innovation center in Decatur is 'temporarily paused' for now.

Insect-based Cat and Dog Food

Black soldier fly larvae oil in dog food lowered palatability, digestibility

While black soldier fly larvae oil offers some advantages, such as a high lauric acid content and environmental claims, it may not be a perfect replacement for poultry fat.

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Pet Food Processing

Time is money: Efficiency challenges in pet food manufacturing

From equipment to labor and on-the-floor needs, efficiency issues continue to need solutions.

Efficiency in pet food manufacturing involves an ever-evolving landscape of needs and priorities, encompassing everyone from suppliers to end consumers.

Adventures in Pet Food

Cracking the code for insect protein to take off in pet food

Recent studies highlight challenges for insect protein with regulatory compliance, processing and consumer acceptance, but also offer clues for overcoming them.

Hamsterman Big Stock com Mealworm Money Insect Novel Ingredient

Insect-based Cat and Dog Food

Study: Insect proteins in pet food face processing challenges

Research from Kansas State University reveals that black soldier fly larvae and cricket meal require modified formulation strategies for successful extrusion processing in dog food manufacturing.

A recent Kansas State University study suggested partial replacement and defatting strategies for successful insect protein integration in pet food manufacturing.

Pet Food Packaging

ProAmpac reports progress on circular packaging initiatives, carbon reduction goals

Flexible packaging manufacturer marks a decade of sustainability efforts in its latest report.

Study confirms safety, digestibility of cultured protein ingredient for dog food

Peer-reviewed research on FeedKind Pet protein shows high digestibility rates and potential gut health benefits in adult dogs.

Ingredient Issues

Eggs in pet products – the incredible option

As a highly bioavailable source of protein, eggs should be considered a premium ingredient in pet food.

Eggs are a complete, bioavailable protein with many potential uses in pet food formulations.

MAWS Act would fund use of invasive blue catfish in pet food, animal feed

The bipartisan federal bill would establish a NOAA pilot program providing grants to pet and animal food companies to develop supply chains for blue catfish harvested from the Chesapeake Bay.

Under the MAWS Act, NOAA would administer grants to pet and animal food manufacturers to use the invasive blue catfish which is threatening the Chesapeake Bay on the Atlantic coast of the U.S.

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