2024-04-01 23:34:12
Since an EU regulation came into force, more insects have been allowed to be processed in food. Consumers should know this.
The most important things at a glance
An EU regulation on insects caused anger and confusion at the beginning of 2023. It means that products from the house cricket (“partially degreased powder”) and the grain mold beetle (powder and pastes from larvae) are allowed to be in food.
In which foods can insects be processed? How can customers tell whether they are included in a product? And which foods already contain insects? t-online answers important questions about the law.
Which products could contain insects in the future?
Powder from the house cricket and grain mold beetle larvae in frozen, paste-like, dried and powdered form could be found in the following products:
- bread and buns
- cookies
- Pasta (noodles)
- Soups, soup concentrates and powders
- Pizza
- Processed potato products
- Molkenpulver
- meat analogues
- meat preparations
- Snacks other than chips
- Cornmeal based snacks
- Beer-like drinks
- chocolate products
- nuts and oilseeds
- Food supplements (grain mold beetle larvae in powder form)
Do products containing insects have to be specifically labeled?
Yes and no. Manufacturers do not have to specifically state on the label that their products contain ingredients from insects. However, the corresponding names must be stated on the list of ingredients – in Latin and German:
- House cricket: “Partially defatted powder from Acheta domesticus (house cricket)”
- Grain mold beetle: “Frozen larvae/paste from larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (grain mold beetle)” or “dried larvae/powder from larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (grain mold beetle)”
Is it safe to consume insects and their products?
The insects are bred specifically for processing in food and grow under controlled conditions. The creepy crawlies are no longer fed about 24 hours before they are processed so that their intestines are empty. The insects are generally harmless to health.
However, allergy sufferers need to be careful. Anyone who is allergic to crustaceans, molluscs and house dust mites should avoid eating foods containing insects. According to EU regulations, this must be clearly stated on the packaging of the relevant products.
Which foods already contain insects?
Even if the newly approved products are classified as “novel foods,” the idea is not new. Insects have been used in food production for a long time – the best-known example is the dye E 120, the “red carmine”.
It consists of boiled and crushed scarlet scale insects, from which a red dye is obtained, which is often used in the food and cosmetics industries.
According to the comparison portal “Codecheck”, the dye is used in these products, among other things:
- Trolli “Sour Fireflies”
- m&m’s “Crisp”
- Ehrmann “Orchard Strawberry”
- Müller “Müllermilch cherry-banana”
- Mentos: Kaugummi “Full Fruit”
The rubber scale insect, or rather its resinous excretions, are also used as “shellac” in the food industry. In the list of ingredients, the substance is often listed as E 904. Shellac is used as a coating for sweets, chocolate, nuts, coffee beans and dietary supplements.
Shellac is used in these products, among others:
- Milka “Colorful Cocoa Lentils”
- Mentos: Chewing Gum “Pure White”
E 120 in particular is controversial. On the one hand, the dye can cause allergic reactions. The dye is also used in vegan and vegetarian products, for example to color analogue meat and sausage. Many vegans and vegetarians criticize this because, strictly speaking, the products are no longer purely plant-based due to the use of carmine or shellac.
Apart from this, dried mealworms and the European migratory locust in frozen, dried and powdered form are also permitted in the European Union. For some time now, products such as insect burgers or noodles have been available to buy in Germany and are also marketed as such.