The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has deemed UV-treated powder from yellow mealworms as safe for consumption. This protein-rich powder could soon be available in various foods in German supermarkets. The EU recently approved house crickets and larvae of the grain beetle as food, and now the EFSA has released a report stating that UV-treated powder from yellow mealworms is also safe for consumption. The powder, produced from the larvae phase of the Tenebrio molitor insect, is considered safe for nutrition. It could be used in various foods, including flour products such as cakes, wheat bread, pasta, and cheese. The target audience for this powder is the general population.
Although the committee expressed concerns about possible primary sensitization and allergic reactions to proteins from yellow mealworms, especially in people allergic to crustaceans and house dust mites, the presented toxicity studies did not raise any safety concerns. The EFSA believes that there are no safety concerns as long as the larvae are raised separately from the adult insects. This report is a milestone for the broader marketing of edible insects in the EU and positions them as a complementary source of high-quality protein. The EU insect sector’s umbrella organization, IPIFF, sees this report as a positive step towards the EU protein strategy.
The legislative process for novel foods involves the EFSA report being presented to the European Commission for discussion among EU member states. If the member states approve the new food, the European Commission will then develop guidelines for marketing. This process can take up to seven months. The EFSA report is a significant step towards the wider acceptance of edible insects in the EU, and it could pave the way for more sustainable protein sources in the future.
