- The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) deems mealworms safe for human consumption -
PARIS, Jan. 13, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Getting the provisional green light from the EFSA[1] is a major step forward for the industry. It should pave the way for future approvals, particularly on human consumption of defatted insect protein, which represents the largest human food market segment in terms of value and volumes, especially in sports and health nutrition.
On January 13, 2021, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) announced a favourable safety assessment of mealworms for human food following the work done by a French IPIFF[2] Food Task Force and its members. The EFSA has concluded that this product is safe for human consumption, under the procedures required by the European Union regarding new food legislation (EU Regulation 2015/2283). This favourable assessment will have to be confirmed by the European Commission's Health Directorate General, which will give the final authorisation for market approval in the European Union.
The mealworm is the first insect to receive a positive safety evaluation for human consumption in the world. This is a recognition that mealworm ingredients are premium products as they are uniquely "food grade" compared to other insects used only in animal feed.
"This breakthrough is a major achievement that rewards the work that has been done for years by the entire European insect industry gathered under the IPIFF umbrella. We hope that this positive assessment will be the first of many" explains Antoine Hubert, CEO of Ÿnsect.
About Ÿnsect
Ÿnsect is the world leader in natural insect protein and fertilizer production. Founded in 2011 in Paris, the Next40 company transforms insects into premium ingredients for pets, fish and plants. From its state of the art farms, Ÿnsect uses pioneering proprietary technology protected by 260 patents in the world to produce Molitor mealworm in vertical farms.www.ynsect.com
[1] The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is the agency of the European Union providing independent scientific advice on existing and emerging risks associated with the food chain, to help protect consumers, animals and the environment from food-related risks.
[2] International Plaftorm of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF), the European umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active in the production of insects for food and feed
