Carbon Footprint of Common Dog Food Ingredients

Kristina Voltin
1 day ago
7 min read

Your dog's food choices can impact the planet. Here's what you need to know:

Meat-based ingredients like beef and lamb have the highest carbon emissions due to land, water use, and methane release.
Poultry is a lower-impact option but still contributes to greenhouse gases and water quality issues.
Plant-based proteins (e.g., soy) produce fewer emissions but vary depending on farming practices.
Emerging alternatives like insect protein and mycoprotein have significantly lower emissions, making them eco-friendlier options.
New technologies like cell-cultured and fermentation-based proteins are reshaping the pet food industry with reduced resource demands.

Switching to lower-impact ingredients can help reduce your dog's carbon footprint while meeting their nutritional needs.

Dr. Kurt Rosentrater: Sustainability in Pet Food | Ep. 08

Impact of Meat-Based Ingredients

Animal proteins are a staple in many dog foods, but their production comes with steep environmental costs. Raising livestock consumes vast amounts of land, water, and energy, while also releasing greenhouse gases through animal digestion, manure, and the processing of meat.

The environmental impact of meat-based ingredients varies depending on the animal source. For example, ruminant animals like cattle and sheep produce methane during digestion - a greenhouse gas far more potent than carbon dioxide over the long term. Let’s take a closer look at how different meat sources compare in terms of carbon emissions.

Beef and Lamb Emissions

Beef stands out as one of the most environmentally taxing ingredients in dog food. Cattle farming requires immense resources, including large amounts of water and land, and generates significant methane emissions. These factors combine to give beef a particularly high carbon footprint. Lamb, while slightly less impactful than beef, still ranks high on the scale of environmental costs. Additionally, the processes used to render and dehydrate these meat ingredients are energy-intensive, further adding to their carbon emissions.

Poultry as a Lower-Impact Option

Poultry, such as chicken and turkey, is a more eco-friendly choice compared to red meats. Poultry production is generally more efficient, converting feed into protein with less demand for land and water. This efficiency results in a lower overall carbon footprint. However, large-scale poultry farming isn't without its challenges. For instance, nutrient runoff from these operations can harm water quality. While processing poultry ingredients tends to require less energy than beef or lamb, it still contributes to the environmental impact of pet food production.

Plant-Based and Alternative Proteins

Plant-based proteins are stepping into the spotlight as a greener alternative to traditional meat-based ingredients. With pet food manufacturers actively seeking ways to cut down on carbon emissions, these plant-derived and alternative protein sources present a promising solution. They not only support more sustainable dog nutrition but also generate significantly fewer emissions than conventional meat.

Carbon Efficiency of Plant Proteins

Switching to plant-based proteins marks a significant shift in how dog food ingredients are sourced. Take soy protein concentrate, for example - one of the most widely used plant proteins in pet food. Producing a kilogram of soy protein concentrate releases just 6.7 kg of CO₂e [1]. That’s a fraction of the emissions associated with beef or lamb.

In 2019, soybean meal ranked as the third most-used plant ingredient in U.S. pet food, with a reported 427,155 tons utilized [3]. Combined, soybean-based products made up 6.18% of the 8.6 million tons of ingredients used in the industry.

However, soy’s carbon footprint isn’t uniform - it can vary greatly depending on where and how it’s grown. For instance, in Brazil, emissions from land conversion for soy production can range from 100 kg CO₂e to a staggering 18,000 kg CO₂e per metric ton, depending on the specific municipality [2]. These variations highlight the need for continued innovation in protein sourcing to minimize environmental impact.

Emerging Protein Alternatives

Some newer protein sources are leaving traditional options in the dust when it comes to carbon efficiency. Take insect protein powder, for instance - it generates just 1.15 kg of CO₂e per kilogram, making it nearly six times more efficient than soy protein concentrate [1]. Even more impressive is PEKILO®Pet mycoprotein, which produces only 0.93 kg of CO₂e per kilogram - an 86% reduction compared to soy protein concentrate [1].

Here’s a quick comparison of their environmental footprints:

Protein Source	Carbon Emissions (kg CO₂e per kg)	Emission Reduction vs. Soy
Soy Protein Concentrate	6.7	Baseline
Insect Protein Powder	1.15	83% lower
PEKILO®Pet Mycoprotein	0.93	86% lower

These alternative proteins offer a clear opportunity to reduce the environmental impact of pet food. With advancements in production and cost efficiencies, they’re becoming increasingly practical for pet food manufacturers aiming to prioritize sustainability.

New Developments in Pet Food Ingredients

The pet food industry is taking significant steps toward rethinking how proteins are produced, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of pet nutrition. New technologies are being explored as alternatives to traditional ingredients, offering options that could leave a smaller carbon footprint. These advancements build on earlier efforts to create more sustainable practices, introducing fresh ways to make pet food production more eco-friendly.

Cell-Cultured Proteins

Cell-cultured meat is emerging as a game-changer in sustainable pet food production. By growing meat from a small sample of animal cells in a lab, this method could dramatically cut down on carbon emissions compared to conventional farming. The process relies on bioreactors, where cells are nurtured with nutrient-rich media under carefully controlled conditions. This approach could significantly reduce the need for large-scale livestock farming, lowering land use, methane emissions, and water consumption.

Another advantage of cell-cultured proteins is their consistency and scalability. Unlike traditional farming, which is vulnerable to weather changes, diseases, and feed shortages, lab-grown meat offers a reliable and predictable production process. For manufacturers, this stability makes it an attractive option for meeting the growing demand for sustainable pet food.

Fermentation-Based Ingredients

Fermentation is another innovative method transforming how proteins are produced. This process uses microorganisms like bacteria, yeast, or fungi to convert simple organic compounds or agricultural byproducts into high-quality proteins in a controlled environment. Not only does this method offer environmental benefits, but it’s also highly resource-efficient.

Precision fermentation adds another layer of possibility, allowing manufacturers to design protein profiles tailored to specific nutritional needs. Plus, fermentation-based production can often be faster than conventional methods. By incorporating renewable energy and repurposing organic waste, this technology supports a circular economy in pet food manufacturing.

The scalability of fermentation is another key advantage. As demand for sustainable options grows, production can be ramped up efficiently without compromising quality. Together, these advancements highlight the pet food industry’s commitment to creating low-emission, resource-efficient nutrition for pets.

Comparison of Ingredient Carbon Footprints

Dog food ingredients differ significantly in their environmental impact, especially when it comes to carbon emissions and resource consumption.

Carbon Emissions Overview

Diets based on red meat are the biggest contributors to carbon emissions. They not only produce more greenhouse gases but also require large amounts of land. On the other hand, plant-based proteins are far more resource-efficient. Across various measures - like emissions, water use, and land requirements - plant-based dog foods consistently come out ahead. They also have a smaller impact on issues like eutrophication and acidification [4][5]. These differences underline the significant gap in environmental strain between animal-based and plant-based ingredients.

Land Use and Resource Impact

Red meat ingredients have a much higher demand for land compared to plant proteins, underscoring the efficiency of plant-based alternatives [4][5]. With this understanding, Loyal Saints carefully selects premium, environmentally-conscious ingredients for its USDA-approved formulations.

Conclusion: Making Better Choices for the Environment

Research underscores that the ingredients in your dog's food play a major role in its environmental impact. Red meat options like beef and lamb are responsible for the highest carbon emissions, while plant-based proteins consistently rank better when it comes to land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas production.

For those looking to strike a balance, alternative animal proteins can be a practical solution. Poultry, for example, offers a lower-impact option for pet owners who prefer not to eliminate animal proteins entirely. Meanwhile, advancements in technologies like cell-cultured proteins and fermentation-based ingredients are opening doors to innovative options that could transform the pet food landscape in the near future.

Switching to sustainable alternatives can significantly lower your dog's carbon footprint. Plant-based proteins, in particular, require fewer resources, generate less greenhouse gas, and still deliver the essential nutrients dogs need to thrive.

As more pet owners prioritize environmental responsibility, companies such as Loyal Saints are stepping up by incorporating premium, eco-conscious ingredients into their USDA-approved formulations. These efforts reflect a broader shift toward sustainable practices in the pet food industry.

FAQs

How does switching to plant-based proteins in dog food help reduce its environmental impact?

Switching your dog's diet to plant-based proteins can make a big difference when it comes to reducing environmental impact. Compared to meat-based ingredients, plant-based options typically use much less land and water while producing fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

In fact, studies reveal that plant-based dog foods can cut emissions by up to tenfold and reduce overall environmental strain by more than 90%. This is because plant proteins demand fewer resources, making them a greener alternative. For pet owners who care about the planet, this choice offers a straightforward way to support climate action while ensuring your dog gets the nutrition it needs.

How do insect protein and mycoprotein benefit the environment when used in dog food?

Including insect protein in dog food offers major environmental benefits. It produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions, uses significantly less water and land, and can even repurpose food waste. This makes it one of the eco-friendliest protein sources available.

Likewise, mycoprotein, created through fermentation, has a much lower carbon footprint than conventional livestock farming. It’s incredibly resource-efficient, requiring less water, land, and energy, all while delivering strong nutritional benefits. These forward-thinking ingredients are shaping a greener future for pet food.

How do innovative proteins like cell-cultured and fermentation-based options make pet food more sustainable?

Innovative proteins, like cell-cultured and fermentation-based options, are reshaping how pet food is made, offering a more eco-friendly approach. Take cell-cultured meat as an example - it generates far fewer greenhouse gas emissions than traditional beef byproducts and uses much less land and water.

Fermentation-based proteins, especially those made through precision fermentation, are another game-changer. They minimize resource consumption while still delivering top-notch nutrition. These advancements are helping the pet food industry reduce its carbon footprint, all while ensuring your dog gets the nourishment they need to thrive.