Protix | Netherlands

Breaking the habit

Insects are a key component of the natural diet of animals. Why should we import soy from overseas or empty the oceans for fishmeal if we can feed our pets with their natural diet in an economically viable and sustainable way? Protix took up this challenge and successfully introduced insect-derived proteins and fats into the pet food market.

Although people are aware that conventional industry practices have a huge environmental impact, wild fish are still being harvested and green lands are being transformed into high intensity farmlands in order to produce feedstock. It makes more to make use of the benefits of insects as ingredients, thereby restoring the balance in animal nutrition and creating a more sustainable, closer-to-nature livestock production. 

A clean and safe process 

Protix harnesses the power of insects to recover nutrients lost during the food production process. Insects have the best upcycling capabilities. They unlock and capture nutrients and – most importantly – upgrade them into a high-quality source of nutrition. Insects consume organic materials that would otherwise end up as waste and in return produce for us valuable sources of nutrients for animals and organic compost for plants. Protix contributes to the circular economy where no waste is generated. Large-scale insect production can be a very clean, safe and traceable process if you have the right technologies in place. Protix’s technologies allow the company to breed, rear and process insects under one roof in a fully automated manner. 

The company firmly believes that insects are the key missing link in animal nutrition and that the insect industry will flourish in the coming decades. Furthermore, animals find them very palatable and their bodies easily digest this fresh and natural source of nutrition. 

Insects improve animal health

Research into poultry and aquaculture conducted by Protix and other research bodies indicates that replacing less sustainable ingredients (fishmeal, soybean meal, soybean oil) with insect-derived ingredients shows great results in animal growth and health with no negative impact on acceptability of the feed. This immune boosting effect has been associated with the high amounts of lauric acid present in Protix products. Lauric acid is known for its antibacterial properties and there are many 

indications that this could be a natural solution against diseases caused by bacteria and subsequently reduce the need for antibiotics in livestock. We already see improved digestion, higher energy levels and no allergic responses in pets fed pet food produced with our insect protein. There is a clear need for novel protein sources which do not cause allergic reaction in pets and actively help to solve digestive disorders. Most of the food-related allergies in dogs and cats are caused by proteins present in grains and virtually all kinds of animal protein used in pet food nowadays. Since insects are so evolutionary distant and genetically different from the other animals in the food chain they do not cause allergic reactions in animals.