EU approves the addition of mealybug larvae powder to baked goods, dairy products and compotes

Another insect delicacy may be heading to the European market. The European Commission has opened the door to whole mealybug larvae powder, listing it as a so-called novel food for Europeans. The approved product joins previously authorised non-traditional foods such as dried grasshoppers, locusts or crickets. The European Commission explains the details on its Web site. Eating insects is said to make a positive contribution to the environment, health and livelihoods and will also contribute to the goals of the Green Deal. But not everyone likes it. For example, Italy, despite the EU, recently banned the mixing of insects into pasta and pizza because of its potential harmfulness.

According to the amendment to the EU implementing regulation, powder from UV-treated mealybug larvae will be used in a wide range of foods - from baked goods, pasta and potato products to dairy products and fruit compotes, reports the server eunews. The authorisation shall enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union.

For the first five years, the French company Nutri'Earth, which applied for approval five years ago, will have the exclusive right to sell this raw material. Other applicants for registration of the same product will have to obtain their own authorisation. In the summer of 2023, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued an opinion stating that the powder from the larvae of the mealybug is 'safe under the proposed conditions and levels of use'.

echo24.cz / photo: rybarskyrozcestnik.cz / gnews.cz-jav