Yellow mealworm powder could soon be a part of EU supermarket offerings as the European Commission has authorised the marketing of the product, according to media reports.
UV-treated larvae powder of Tenebrio molitor, popularly known as yellow mealworms, will join the list of EU novel foods, which already includes migratory locust meal, lesser mealworms, and house crickets.
The authorisation will come into effect twenty days after the announcement is published in the official journal of the European Union, the online publication www.eunews.it reported.
Initially, French company Nutri’Earth will have permission to place the yellow grub meal on the market.
However, this is subject to subsequent applicants obtaining an authorisation for the novel food, according to the report.
More than five years ago, the French company applied to Brussels for authorisation.
Safe For Consumption
According to a scientific opinion by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in 2023, UV-treated yellow mealworms powder is 'safe under the proposed conditions and levels of use.'
This essentially means it can be used in bread and rolls, cakes, pasta products, processed potato products, cheese and dairy products, and fruit and vegetable compotes intended for the general population.
On 15 January, the European Parliament’s Environment, Public Health and Safety (ENVI) committee rejected a motion submitted by French politician Laurence Trochu to block the approval of yellow grub meal.
The motion received 32 votes in favour, 39 votes against, and 6 abstentions.
In 2024, UK retailer Co-op released AI-generated images of how the food of the future could look like to mark the launch of its Responsible Retailing Report.
The study predicted that traditional Sunday roast or fish and chips could be replaced by new favourites in the form of cricket salads, lab-grown steaks, and Azolla burgers.
The green light for larvae meal surely confirms this shift towards unconventional food sources.
