What exactly is allowed now?
Every novel food must be approved by the EU. According to an implementing regulation, only Vietnamese company Cricket One is authorized to sell a partially degreased powder of domestic cricket (Acheta domesticus) in the EU from Tuesday. The animal, also known as cricket, had already been included in the list of new foods after analysis of scientific studies. From Thursday, larvae of the grain mold beetle (Alphitobius diaperinus) can also be processed. Similar rules have existed for some time for grasshoppers and mealworm larvae (Tenebrio molitor, yellow mealworm).
In which foods can domestic crickets occur?
In all types. Its powder can now be found in breads and rolls, cookies and crackers, bread and dough mixes, sauces and soups, meat and milk substitutes, potato products and chocolate, among other products. Products cannot be labeled vegan or vegetarian.
Will this be widely available soon?
Time will tell. So far, the variety of insect foods is “really a very, very small niche market”, explains food chemist Armin Valet from the Hamburg Consumer Center. Currently, in the country, only a few products with small amounts of insects are available – such as bars or pasta. That insect powder will be mixed into crackers or flour is “a long way off,” says Valet.
Is it possible to eat insects without knowing it?
No, because insects must be labeled on products. “We’re not aware that it’s somehow mixed,” says Valet, a consumer advocate. The EU Commission makes it clear: “Everyone can decide for themselves whether or not to buy food made from or with insects.” According to the regulation, the list of ingredients must include: “Acheta domesticus (house cricket, domestic cricket), frozen” or “Powder of larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (grain mold beetle)”. Valet, on the other hand, calls for clear labeling on the packaging “and in an easy way for everyone to understand, for example “biscuits with insects” or “pasta with insects””.
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What should allergy sufferers pay attention to?
As with many other foods, insect dust can also trigger reactions in rare cases – for example, in people who are allergic to crustaceans, molluscs and house dust mites. The corresponding information must be recorded in the immediate vicinity of the list of ingredients. The chitin in the exoskeleton of insects, for example, can trigger allergic reactions. Hardly digestible fiber is also found in shellfish and mushrooms. After evaluating several studies, the European Food Safety Authority came to the conclusion: house cricket powder in the suggested amounts is safe.
What are the benefits of adding insect repellent?
So far, consumer advocate Valet has not seen a commercial incentive. “Products with insect flour are sometimes sold at significantly higher prices,” he told the German Press Agency. But if it turns out to be cheaper for businesses at some point in the future, care must be taken not to mislead consumers.
How nutritious are insects?
More than 1900 species are consumed worldwide. In several studies, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) found them to be a highly nutritious and healthy food source, with high levels of fat, protein, vitamins, fiber and minerals. According to the Federal Association of Consumers, its protein content is similar to that of beef, pork or turkey, but varies according to the type of insect.
And sustainability?
According to the environmental organization WWF, the ecological balance is significantly better than that of beef, pork and chicken. “Compared to meat, insect production requires significantly less farmland,” says WWF. Compared to chicken, it is about 50% less. According to the FAO, crickets require about one-twelfth the amount of feed compared to cattle to produce the same amount of protein. Insect farming also emits less greenhouse gases. German consumer centers also calculate that the edible proportion of insects at 80 percent is significantly higher than, for example, beef (40 percent).
Do bugs from nature end up on the plate?
no No one has to worry about wild animals ending up in products. According to consumer advice centres, the edible insects that are offered in the German food trade come exclusively from controlled breeding. “So far there is no housing regulation for insects in Germany,” write consumer advocates. There is a need for clarification about space, the use of drugs, or killing in the kindest way possible.