The EU has approved insect repellent throughout Europe.
What does that mean for consumers?
“Slimy, but rich in vitamins” – Simba already demonstrated it in the 1994 film “The Lion King”: eating insects.
From January 24, 2023, the European Union (EU) will allow crickets and grain mold beetles to be processed into food in powder form in addition to mealworms and grasshoppers.
Will we soon be eating insects without knowing it?
In the following you can read how you can tell whether a dish contains insects and whether it is actually bad to eat beetles, wasps and the like.
From January 24, 2023, the EU will allow powdered insects in food
For many, the idea of eating insects is an unsettling one.
One often imagines living crawling creatures.
However, the reality is a little different: Insects such as wasps, beetles or grasshoppers are usually pulverized and mixed with other ingredients to make food.
According to a report by
Tagesschau
, mealworms, grasshoppers, crickets and grain mold beetles can now be contained in food in the EU.
Before that, however, the food containing insects would have to be examined for safety by the European Food Safety Authority.
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Have you ever eaten insects?
© Joerg Boethling/Imago
How can I tell if a dish contains insects?
As with other ingredients, it is mandatory for manufacturers to label insects in food.
However , the
Tagesschau
reports that there is still no legally prescribed designation for insect products, which is why you have to look in the list of ingredients.
According to the report, labeling for insects in food has so far mostly been:
partially defatted powder from Acheta domesticus (house cricket)
frequent labeling of insects in food according to Tagesschau.de
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Which insects can you even eat?
The
consumer center
reports that about 2000 species of insects are edible, such as:
Beetle
caterpillars
bees
wasps
ants
grasshoppers
grilling
mealworms
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Would it be bad to eat insects?
Three reasons that speak for the consumption
The consumer center has presented three reasons why it is not bad to eat insects - quite the opposite: Because insects are not only healthy for humans, they are also good for the climate and a real sustainable alternative to meat.
Insects are healthy:
Edible insects such as beetles, wasps, mealworms or grasshoppers contain B vitamins and minerals in addition to monosaturated and polysaturated and omega-3 fatty acids.
Insects also contain just as much protein as beef, pork or turkey.
Good for the climate:
It is better for the climate to consume insects than meat, because they take up much less space and water than cattle, pigs or chickens.
Insects also cause fewer greenhouse gas emissions.
Sustainable meat alternative:
In contrast to meat from farm animals such as pig, chicken or turkey, the edible proportion of insects is much higher.
For example, while you can only eat about 40 percent of beef, it is about 80 percent of edible insects.
eat insects?
Consumers on Twitter are skeptical
There are numerous voices on Twitter who are negative about the innovation.
For example, while the Animal Welfare Party is shocked that the insect powder will be approved throughout Europe "In future, the powder may be contained in various foods, most of which were purely vegetable," one user wants to focus more on baking herself.
How do you evade eating #insects? Are you all becoming bakers and confectioners now, do you no longer eat chocolate. Are you now becoming a do-it-yourself food manufacturer? Or do you not care?
For my part, I'm very scared and even more disgusted.
— DieLeserin1982 🕊️☮️ (@DieLeserin1982) January 21, 2023
Fortunately, there are a few recipes for this, such as farmhouse bread or eat-you-dumb bread.
List of rubrics: © Joerg Boethling/Imago