Meal­worms first insects to be offi­cially approved as food

The lar­vae of the beetle Tenebrio molit­or became the first insect ever to be approved for con­sump­tion in the EU. The EU mem­ber states approved a cor­res­pond­ing pro­pos­al from the European Com­mis­sion. The nov­el food is con­sidered safe fol­low­ing a review by the EU Food Safety Author­ity EFSA. How­ever, the Ger­man Fed­er­al Office of Con­sumer Pro­tec­tion and Food Safety warned that eat­ing the yel­low meal­worm could ​“lead to aller­gic reac­tions in sens­it­ive indi­vidu­als.” There­fore, the label must carry an allergy statement.

The dried larva of the meal­worm may now be sold as a whole snack or ground. As a powder addit­ive, for example in pro­tein and pasta products or cook­ies, a pro­por­tion of up to ten per­cent is per­mit­ted. The approv­al ini­tially applies only to the French com­pany sub­mit­ting the applic­a­tion, which can now sell the lar­vae on its own for five years. After that, com­pet­it­ors will also be allowed to mar­ket the worm.

Insects are con­sidered a sus­tain­able source of pro­tein thanks to their lower envir­on­ment­al impact and high nutri­tion­al value. In many parts of the world, crick­ets, grasshop­pers or meal­worms are already every­day fare. In Europe, the sale of foods con­tain­ing insects is not banned in prin­ciple, but has so far enjoyed a niche exist­ence. Accord­ing to EFSA, the risk assess­ments of 14 oth­er insect products are cur­rently pending.