The EU Commission confirmed EFSA’s scientific opinion and authorizes the first edible insect, dried yellow mealworm, to be placed on the European market.
The authorisation will provide for the product to be sold in whole, dried form or to be used as an ingredient in other foods and is the first authorisation of its kind.
In January, the EFSA gave the green light for flour made from yellow mealworms to be marketed in the EU. The move is effectively the first step on the path towards human consumption of insects in Europe, which comes after an application to the EFSA by French company, Agronutris. So, what’s the context behind the
Published by the European Food Safety Authority on 13 January 2021
Extract:
Today’s batch of EFSA scientific opinions on novel food applications includes the first completed assessment of a proposed insect-derived food product. Our safety evaluations are a necessary step in the regulation of novel food, as our scientific advice supports EU and
The decision particularly affects those players who had looked to take advantage of ambiguous regulations and interpreted the legislation (in particular (EC) 258/97) that whole insects did not need to be considered ‘new’ in the European Union. In her latest article for Les Marchés, Katia Merten-Lentz explores the decision, and what it means for producers
According to the Advocate General Bobek, whole insects intended for human consumption which are to be consumed as such, fall outside the scope of the Novel Food Regulation.
In the case C‑526/19, the Advocate General delivered his Opinion and explained why, in his view, whole insects would not be Novel. He noted that:
“While
Katia Merten-Lentz of international law firm Keller and Heckman looks at how the EU’s regulation of traditional foods from third countries is proving to be a challenge for companies to successfully navigate.
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Since 1997, any food that was not consumed to a significant degree within European
Cannabidiol (‘CBD’) has burst onto the world stage in recent years, and the EU is no exception, with shops selling CBD products opening up in various countries across Europe. While CBD can be incorporated into cosmetics and used for medical uses, it is quickly gaining traction in the food and drink market, with CBD found
Edible insect legislation
Traditional sources of protein are sometimes controversial for a number of reasons; therefore, in recent years insects have been touted as a potential replacement to meat products. The human consumption of crickets and other insects was last clarified in late 2015, when the European rules on novel foods were updated. In the
Published 11 Dec 2018 at EU Food Law
On 16th November 2018,
