Silkworm now also good for pet food?
In Taiwan, Miaoli Agricultural Research and Extension Station have developed cat food with silkworm as its protein source.
“When we see silkworms, we think of silk fabrics,” researcher Liao Chiu-hsun told AFP. “But these highly domesticated insects have a lot more to offer.”
“Silkworm pupae are a good source of protein because they contain crude protein, crude lipids, carbohydrates and chitin,” director Lu Hsiu-ying said, adding that they also have high levels of essential amino acids and are rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid.
To be able to use the domesticated silkworms (Bombyx mori), Miaoli developed a technique to kill harmful bacteria inside them. Stressing the silkworms makes them believe they are in danger and triggers the production of immune proteins. Once that process is done, the worms are ready to be harvested and turned into cat food.
The research station surveyed cat owners and 70 percent said they would consider feeding their cat the silkworm pupae food. Some owners in trials reported that their cat’s feces was less smelly, their fur more luxuriant and they had a bigger appetite.
The silkworm cat food is only slightly more expensive than average canned wet food in Thailand.
(Photo credit: CNA)