In the future, consumers will be able to feast on insects at will. As of Tuesday, January 24, 2023, a new EU law will come into force that will allow the use of certain insects in food. In Austria, the company ZIRP already sells products with insects that are said to be good for your health, as well as for the environment and the climate.
AUSTRIA. The use of house crickets and beetle larvae in food is now permitted. The new law allows insects to be added in frozen, dried or powdered form. Similar regulations already exist for migratory locusts and meal beetle larvae. According to the EU Commission, there are currently eight other applications for approval of insects as food.
Top priority food safety
The EU Commission states that manufacturers must apply for an authorization for each type of insect they wish to introduce into food. If insects are used in food, this must be clearly identified by including the species name in the ingredients list. A spokeswoman for the EU Commission stressed that food safety is the top priority and confirmed that the insects used are safe.
In some EU countries, including Austria, insect snacks and pasta have been on sale for some time. There are transitional regulations for this. The European Court of Justice has ruled that whole insects do not fall under the old rules for novel foods. However, the old specifications were revised, and since 2018, whole insects are also considered novel foods and must go through the corresponding approval process.
Protein Bars, Insect Meal & Co
In Austria, ZIRP has been selling insect products under the direction of Christoph Thomann since 2011. The online store offers protein bars, insect flour and insect snacks, as well as various cooking and baking mixes, such as falafel and brownies. There are also frozen burgers made from ground insects, mushrooms and pea protein. The bug protein in these burgers consists of buffalo worms. The product is also distributed by several supermarket chains.
“By 2030, insects will be an essential part of our European diet. As market pioneers, we at ZIRP are determined to make a significant contribution here,” co-founder Thomann said on the ZIRP website. According to ZIRP, insects are rich in nutrients, including zinc, iron, calcium and vitamin B12. They also contain a lot of protein with up to 70 percent.
Appropriate attitude for the species
Insects as food offer other advantages: ZIRP defines the flavor as “subtly nutty to neutral”, which is why they can be easily refined and used anywhere. And they also score with a particularly species-appropriate attitude. Unlike mammals, according to the product’s manufacturers, insects feel particularly comfortable in a crowd and also take up much less space when kept.
According to ZIRP, insects also consume significantly less feed and only a fraction of water to produce a pound of protein compared to other animal protein sources. As a result, they would cause minimal CO2 emissions in direct comparison to other animals. Furthermore, insects would have an edible body mass of nearly 100%. Compared to farm animals, no slaughterhouse waste would be produced.
Cultivation also in the city
Insects can also be bred in urban centers, meadows, fields or alpine pastures are not needed, manufacturers praise other advantages. As a result, according to the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations), they can provide economic opportunities for those who have little access to land, education and other resources.
However, allergy sufferers sometimes have health problems. To minimize these risks, the EU Commission emphasizes that adequate information about allergies is needed, but stresses that no one is forced to eat insects.
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