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Purina Beyond includes insect protein – really natural pet food blend here

By Wesley Coburn

BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 09: In this photo illustration dried mealworms seasoned with an African rub of cinnamon, coriander, pepper and other spices and bought at a store selling insects for human consumption lie presented on a slice of bread on May 7, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. An increasing numbers of advocates worldwide are promoting insects as a viable source of food for humans, citing the high protein value, abundance and low cost. (Photo Illustration by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)
BERLIN, GERMANY - MAY 09: In this photo illustration dried mealworms seasoned with an African rub of cinnamon, coriander, pepper and other spices and bought at a store selling insects for human consumption lie presented on a slice of bread on May 7, 2014 in Berlin, Germany. An increasing numbers of advocates worldwide are promoting insects as a viable source of food for humans, citing the high protein value, abundance and low cost. (Photo Illustration by Sean Gallup/Getty Images) /
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Purina Beyond Nature’s Protein pet food formula includes insect protein.

The new Purina Beyond Nature’s Protein pet food formula includes insect protein, making for an extra dose of natural protein for our puppers and kitties.

Some of the ingredients used in the new recipes include black soldier fly larva, fava beans, pig liver and millet protein.

Here at Dog O’Day, we learned of this through CNN.

In a press release, Nestle executive Bernard Neumier said that these new blends will be a “complete nutritious alternative to conventional dog and cat products, while taking care of the planet’s precious resources by diversifying the protein sources.”

Nestle is the parent company of Purina, which is sold in more than 70 countries, and is most well known for its ALPO, Dog Chow, Pro Plan, Beneful and Meow Mix brands. They also make Layena chicken feed, as well as many other well-known animal feeds.

Purina has been the presenting sponsor for the upcoming National Dog Show, which will be airing at noon (across all time zones) on NBC on Thanksgiving Day, since its inception in 2002, and also is the main sponsor of the Incredible Dog Challenge, held annually each summer.

The trend of insect protein has gradually been gaining more mainstream acceptance, as baseball teams like the Seattle Mariners have begun serving toasted grasshoppers as gameday snacks. While domestic dogs and cats occasionally eat flies or ticks, this isn’t a completely-out-there idea, but it still sounds a bit out there.

The Purina Beyond line is a super-natural line of dog food, so it makes sense that this would be appealing, particularly as it mimics the trend of pet food following the human food trends.

But this sounds a little puzzling, honestly. Insect protein might be better for the earth, but will there be enough of a market for it?

At this point, it isn’t quite known when the Purina Beyond Nature’s Protein blends will be available in the US or Canada, as they will first go on sale in Switzerland sometime next month, according to CNN’s report.

Next. What to know about mixing wet and dry dog food. dark

Would you feed your dog or cat insect protein?

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