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. This development is highly topical as sustainability concerns have caused consumers and manufacturers to pay increasing attention to the use of insect protein in food. This has even extended to pet food, with a number of retailers launching insect-based products over recent years
Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2021/882 of 1 June 2021 authorizes the placing on the market of dried Tenebrio molitor larva as a novel food. For further information, click here: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32021R0882&qid=1622808640967
Date of effect: 22 June 2021