Mealworms on the menu: EU gives green light to edible insect products

Dried yellow mealworm – which refers to the larvae of the beetle Tenebrio molitor – is the first insect to enter the European market as a food product. The approval of the yellow mealworm for human consumption was granted on May 3rd by the standing committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed that brings together representatives of all EU countries and is chaired by a Commission representative.

This decision followed the positive risk assessment of yellow mealworm that the EU food safety agency (EFSA) gave in January. The EFSA declared that the insect was safe to use under the proposed conditions, but warned about possible allergenic concerns for some people.

Mealworms are rich in fat, fibre and protein. According to the Commission, they are intended to be used as a whole, dried insect in the form of snacks or as a food ingredient (i.e. powder that can be used for making biscuits, smoothies or pasta products).

The European agricultural strategy ‘From Farm to Fork’ sees insects as a promising alternative source of protein which could have an integral role in improving the sustainability of our food system.

CoRoSect project will bring new insight to automated insect farming by introducing a novel digitalized integrated robotic solution designed to support all phases of the insects’ lifecycle inside insect farms. The innovative infrastructure will be implemented, tested and validated in three of the most commonly occurring species, namely Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm), Hermetia illucens (Black Soldier) and Acheta Domesticus (Crickets).

Source: Euractiv, The Brussels Times, European Commission