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Bugs: your dog’s been eating them anyway—why not make it official? In this episode of Barking Mad, Jordan and Dr. Steph dig deep into the world of insect-based pet nutrition—from black soldier fly larvae to crickets to mealworms. You’ll hear from scientists, brand leaders, and strategists about the surprising nutritional benefits, sustainability wins, and cultural hurdles of feeding bugs to our pets. Whether you’re intrigued or totally grossed out, this episode will challenge what you thought you knew about both “ick” and innovation.
Helpful Links
🦗 Learn more about the companies and brands featured in today’s episode:
🔬 Check out Protix’s cutting-edge research on the nutritional benefits of black soldier fly-based dog and cat food: https://protix.com/discovery-centre
🦐 The surprising similarity of bugs and crustaceans: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/you-might-think-of-shrimp-as-bugs-of-the-sea-but-a-remarkable-discovery-shows-the-opposite-bugs-are-actually-shrimp-of-the-land-180986303/
🤔 Did you know there are already bugs in your food? Read more here: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/creepy-crawly-cuisine-when-banning-synthetics-comes-with-tradeoffs/
🌱 Tune in to our previous sustainability episodes
Show Notes
00:00 – Inside the Episode
02:45 – Why Bugs?
04:44 – Current Regulatory Approval
06:12 – The Buzz on BSFL Nutrition: Brain Fuel, Bacteria-Fighting Peptides, and Chitin
16:48 – Mealworm Nutrition for Pets: Low-Fat, Natural Fiber, and Hypoallergenic
19:29 – The Crunch on Crickets: Complete Protein, Essential Vitamins, and Chitin
20:20 – Unearthing the Sustainability Story
23:52 – Are Insects Tasty to Our Pets?
25:10 – Sticker Shock
28:12 – The Ick Factor
30:46 – A Marketer’s Perspective
39:54 – The More You Know
42:01 – Final Thoughts
44:30 – Today’s Key Takeaways
5
99 ratings
Bugs: your dog’s been eating them anyway—why not make it official? In this episode of Barking Mad, Jordan and Dr. Steph dig deep into the world of insect-based pet nutrition—from black soldier fly larvae to crickets to mealworms. You’ll hear from scientists, brand leaders, and strategists about the surprising nutritional benefits, sustainability wins, and cultural hurdles of feeding bugs to our pets. Whether you’re intrigued or totally grossed out, this episode will challenge what you thought you knew about both “ick” and innovation.
Helpful Links
🦗 Learn more about the companies and brands featured in today’s episode:
🔬 Check out Protix’s cutting-edge research on the nutritional benefits of black soldier fly-based dog and cat food: https://protix.com/discovery-centre
🦐 The surprising similarity of bugs and crustaceans: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/you-might-think-of-shrimp-as-bugs-of-the-sea-but-a-remarkable-discovery-shows-the-opposite-bugs-are-actually-shrimp-of-the-land-180986303/
🤔 Did you know there are already bugs in your food? Read more here: https://bsmpartners.net/insights/creepy-crawly-cuisine-when-banning-synthetics-comes-with-tradeoffs/
🌱 Tune in to our previous sustainability episodes
Show Notes
00:00 – Inside the Episode
02:45 – Why Bugs?
04:44 – Current Regulatory Approval
06:12 – The Buzz on BSFL Nutrition: Brain Fuel, Bacteria-Fighting Peptides, and Chitin
16:48 – Mealworm Nutrition for Pets: Low-Fat, Natural Fiber, and Hypoallergenic
19:29 – The Crunch on Crickets: Complete Protein, Essential Vitamins, and Chitin
20:20 – Unearthing the Sustainability Story
23:52 – Are Insects Tasty to Our Pets?
25:10 – Sticker Shock
28:12 – The Ick Factor
30:46 – A Marketer’s Perspective
39:54 – The More You Know
42:01 – Final Thoughts
44:30 – Today’s Key Takeaways
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