It demonstrates, if proof was needed, the excellence of the European and French insect industry and its global leadership,” said Antoine Hubert, CEO of insect-based food start-up Ÿnsect. It is a major achievement that rewards the work that has been done for years by the entire European insect industry gathered under IPIFF (International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed) umbrella. “With time and exposure, such attitudes can change,” he told Deutsche Welle.Īnd despite concerns over uptake, the announcement was still cause for optimism for companies specialising in the manufacture of insect-based foods.
However, Giovanni Sogari, a consumer researcher at the University of Parma (where the EFSA is based), was more positive about the future of insects in western countries. Some parts of the world, such as Africa and Central America, have been eating insects for a long time, yet there is a fear that European consumers may turn their nose up at the unassuming mealworm. There are several potential uses for the larvae they can be dried and used whole in dishes such as curries, or ground down to make flour suitable for biscuits, pasta, and even bread.
“Our risk evaluation is a decisive and necessary step in the regulation of novel foods by supporting policymakers in the EU in making science-based decisions and ensuring the safety of consumers.” “This first EFSA risk assessment of an insect as novel food can pave the way for the first EU-wide approval,” Ermolaos Ververis, a scientific officer at the agency, told The Guardian.
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