Vet World   Vol.18   September-2025  Article - 10 

Cricket protein hydrolysate as a sustainable functional ingredient in dog diets: Effects on palatability, health parameters, and antioxidant shelf-life stability

Background and Aim: Insect-derived proteins are gaining attention as sustainable pet food ingredients, but the use of cricket protein hydrolysate (CPH) in canine diets remains underexplored. This study evaluated the effects of CPH on diet palatability, physiological responses, and antioxidant potential for shelf-life extension in commercial dog food.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-two healthy adult dogs were assigned to four diets containing 0%, 2%, 4%, or 6% CPH for a 30-day feeding trial. Palatability was assessed through a two-bowl preference test, while biochemical, hematological, and fecal parameters were measured pre- and post-trial. Antioxidant efficacy was evaluated by monitoring acid value (AV) and peroxide value (PV) during accelerated storage (55°C for 46 days, simulating 12 months). Nutritional adequacy was con­firmed through proximate and amino acid analysis.

Results: The 2% CPH diet significantly improved palatability, with a 57% increase in intake compared to control (p < 0.05), whereas higher inclusions (4% and 6%) reduced acceptance due to bitterness from hydrophobic peptides. All health param­eters remained within reference ranges, though the 6% CPH diet lowered serum glucose (87.0 vs. 112.0 mg/dL; p < 0.001) and increased blood urea nitrogen (11.0 mg/dL; p = 0.0023). Antioxidant activity increased with CPH level, with 6% CPH reducing PV by 33% after 46 days (p < 0.05). CPH lacked certain essential amino acids, notably tryptophan, requiring com­plementary protein supplementation.

Conclusion: CPH is a multifunctional ingredient that can enhance palatability and oxidative stability in dog diets at moderate inclusion (2%). High inclusion levels improve antioxidant capacity but may impair sensory acceptance and alter metabolic markers. Long-term safety, allergenicity, and flavor-masking strategies warrant further study.

Keywords: amino acid profile, insect-based protein, oxidative stability, palatability, sustainable pet food.

---

How to cite this article: Saejiem N, Bunchasak C, and Poungpong K (2025) Cricket protein hydrolysate as a sustainable functional ingredient in dog diets: Effects on palatability, health parameters, and antioxidant shelf-life stability, Veterinary World, 18(9): 2678-2688.

Received: 02-05-2025   Accepted: 07-08-2025   Published online: 11-09-2025

Corresponding author: Kanokporn Poungpong    E-mail: fagrkpp@ku.ac.th

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.2678-2688

Copyright: Saejiem, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.