The first insect was added to the food list in the Union

On Tuesday, the member states of the European Union approved the proposal of the European Commission (EC), which allows the use of yellow mealworms as a safe type of novel food. The EC proposal was approved by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed, composed of representatives of all EU Member States and chaired by a representative of the European Commission. The Commission has proposed to designate yellow flour worms (Tenebrio molitor larvae) as food after they have been declared safe for human consumption by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). According to the EC press release, this is the first ever permit to include insects in the list of foods on the EU market. The novel food can be used in the form of whole pieces of dried insects as a snack or as an additive in many food products, for example powder for protein products, biscuits or pasta. The European Commission's "Farm to Fork" strategy identifies insects as an alternative source of protein that can support the EU's transition to a more sustainable food system. It could be a potentially cheap and sustainable source of food in the future. According to the EC, millions of people already consume insects every day, and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has also identified insects as a source of healthy and nutritious foods high in fat, protein, vitamins, fiber and minerals. EFSA is currently registering 11 more applications to label different insect species as safe.