Officially approved by the EU: Four insects hiding in your food

EU citizens who do not want to unknowingly eat insects should be particularly careful: The EU Commission has already approved four types of insects in different forms as "edible insects".

The most recent approval was on January 5: From now on, after mealworms, grasshoppers and crickets, the grain mold beetle can also be used as an ingredient in foods such as bread, soups, pasta, snacks, peanut butter and chocolate products.

The mealworm received the first approval for a so-called "edible insect" in June 2021: The EU Commission's Implementing Regulation 2021/822 approved the placing on the market of dried larvae of Tenebrio molitor (meal beetle) as a "novel food".

The SAS EAP Group from France has submitted the application and is allowed to market the mealworm in the Union. It may be sold individually or with a maximum content of 10 grams in protein products, cookies, dishes made from legumes and pasta products.

If insects are used, there must be a note on the packaging of the food that consumption may cause allergic reactions in people with known allergies to crustaceans and molluscs and their products and to house dust mites.

Comment: It would be a good idea to look for this note on food packages to avoid consuming products that contain (parts of) insects.

In November 2021, the second "edible insect" was approved by Implementing Regulation 2021/1975 : "Fair Insects BV" from the Netherlands has since been allowed to market frozen, dried and powdered Locusta migratoria (migratory locusts) in the EU.

Depending on the form of processing, the locusts may be used as ingredients in different maximum levels in the products such as processed potato products; dishes made from legumes and products made from pasta, meat substitution, soups and soup concentrates, legumes and vegetables in cans/jars, salads, beer-like beverages, alcoholic beverage mixes, chocolate products, frozen milk-based fermented products, cured meats.

Since 2022 and 2023 respectively, the domestic cricket (Acheta domesticus) has been permitted in various forms of processing. Implementing regulation 2022/188 allows the use in frozen, dried and powdered form. The application came again from "Fair Insects BV". The house cricket, just as locusts, may be used in similar foods.

Since January 3, the Vietnamese company "Cricket One Co. Ltd" has also been allowed to sell "partially defatted powder from Acheta domesticus" in the EU by implementing regulation 2023/5 . Potentially affected foods are multigrain bread and rolls; crackers and breadsticks, cereal bars, dry bakery premixes, cookies, pasta products and many more.

The executive order 2023/58 of January 5 allows "Ynsect NL BV" from the Netherlands to bring larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (grain mold beetle) in frozen, paste, dried and powdered form as a new food to EU citizens. The list of food categories in which the larvae can be used as an ingredient in most processed foods.

Comment: They are found in:

Granola bars
Bread and bread rolls
Processed cereals and breakfast cereals
Porridge
Premixes (dry) for bakery products
Dried pasta products
Stuffed pasta products
Whey powder
Soups
Cereal-based dishes, pasta
Pizza-based dishes
Pasta
Snacks
Chips
Crackers and breadsticks
Peanut butter
Ready-to-eat savory sandwiches
Meat preparations
Meat analogues
Milk and milk product analogues
Chocolate products

Reader Comments

Winternights3 · 2023-01-22T09:31:52Z

Aren't they a SICK SET OF BASTARDS, turning field's of edible food to wild flower meadows, blaming cows for killing our planet by farting, making out as if meat is bad for one and through the back door they now have legalised the consumption of tasteless, meatless insects, what a load of BOLLOCKS.

Acr · 2023-01-22T16:42:35Z

Winternights3 If they’ll eat it, let them. If they do not have the spines to stand, let them squirm on the ground. If they do not have the breath to speak, let them be silent. If predators feast on them, let their bellies be full.

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T16:51:43Z

Acr If those head cases are sufficiently ignorant then allow them to bask in the fruits of their despicable negligible existences.

Zbigniew · 2023-01-22T09:53:15Z

I wonder if the members of that EU Commission eat such kind of viddles.

codis · 2023-01-22T10:22:12Z

Simple. Avoid every kind of processed and industrial food.

Saiko · 2023-01-22T11:09:02Z

Bread baked at the local bakery or supermarket doesn't have a food labelling, and it seems it is included on the list of potentially contaminated products. They can also pollute flour, which could be even economically viable (because of rise of its price).

However, the insects, just like most animals, ultimately eat products made from plants. For example flour. Is it really that economical, given current fodder prices?

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T11:33:43Z

Saiko Wheat isn't even good for cow's wellbeing. "Grain fed" labels do not denote that a cut of beef is extra special. It means the farmers fed them with dwarf wheat as a cheap food substitute.

Dwoods44 · 2023-01-22T14:11:54Z

Let's remember the new adage, "Be Woke go Broke".

When we see an ingredient label with insects, broadcast the brand name. Believe me, they will go broke.

Demore · 2023-01-22T14:19:31Z

Dwoods44 It looks like ''insects'' will not appear on the labels...

''If insects are used, there must be a note on the packaging of the food that consumption may cause allergic reactions in people with known allergies to crustaceans and molluscs and their products and to house dust mites.''

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T16:02:46Z

Demore Raw or cooked muscles and crayfish from the local river have been my main protein sources when I ran out of others mostly. No ill effects.

Demore · 2023-01-22T14:17:13Z

I wonder if the insects will be added to already known products. If so, people used to buy these products will start eating insects without knowing.

ReRan · 2023-01-22T15:59:43Z

I wonder how this will affect "organic" labelling?

Winternights3 · 2023-01-22T16:03:24Z

ReRan " labelling " , the platform by which those dictate to the masses with reverse psychology, the error of their ways.

ReRan ·

Winternights3

· 2023-01-22T16:30:38Z

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T16:43:05Z

Winternights3 Why must water bottles have nutritional labels but not alcoholic beverages? (at least in Canada). I want to know ever ingredient and what chemicals were utilized during the production process.

codis · 2023-01-22T16:49:39Z

ReRan I wager a guess - made from organic insects ...

Winternights3 · 2023-01-22T16:51:23Z

Animanarchy Doesn't plastic turn one gay, maybe that's why labelling is so queer, figuratively speaking

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T16:53:02Z

Winternights3 Save the frogs! lol

gonexploring · 2023-01-22T17:03:33Z

Animanarchy 'ingredient and what chemicals were utilized during the production process'

maybe why the push to only drink 2 pints a week.

maybe the ingredients listed on beer will end up being a short paragraph just like store bought bread.

maybe i'd better start brewing my own again.

Animanarchy · 2023-01-22T18:52:37Z

gonexploring Everything tastes better home made. I used to brew juice into wine in my jail cells and even some guards saw me drink it with chunks of fruit floating in it and didn't say anything. A little respect goes a long way when they decide to be reciprocal.

Buffalo_Ken · 2023-01-22T18:54:07Z

Animanarchy - ha, ha...

Oh yeah....

Let's Go Buffalo!

Go Bills!

Ken

JTF Truth · 2023-01-22T17:21:03Z

The only insects I want roasted are the ones at the top allowing and planning this to happen.

Buffalo_Ken · 2023-01-22T17:35:47Z

I'll eat a bug but I want it to be my choice. I'll only do it if I'm really hungry, but in South America, they eat bugs all the time. Still there is a difference between a bug you eat by choice versus one put into mass produced food of harm. Bugs have protein and we need that, but wouldn't you rather eat a bug meal you made on your own after collecting the protein by hand? This is actually done all over the world and like everything else it is a matter of choice. I choose free will to eat a bug and too many rules just ruin everything.

Go Bills!