The European Union has recently permitted the sale of food products made from Acheta Domesticus, also known as the house cricket, for consumption by European consumers.
This new regulation allows food producers to sell partially defatted powder made from crickets on the E.U. market.
The European Union Commission has approved the application submitted by the Cricket One Company in 2019.
This means that food manufacturers can now use cricket powder in the production of a wide range of products, including pizzas and pasta dishes, nuts and seeds, snacks and sauces, meat preparations, soups, multigrain bread and rolls, crackers, breadsticks, cereal bars, dry mixes for baked goods, biscuits, processed potato products, legume and vegetable dishes, whey powder, maize flour-based snacks, beer-like beverages, and chocolate confectionery.
The invasion of house crickets into European kitchens will not be a solitary endeavor. On January 6th, the European Union Commission also gave the green light for the introduction of Alphitobius diaperinus larvae in frozen, paste, dried, and powdered forms, commonly known as the lesser mealworm, to the consumer food market.
Food products that contain insect ingredients must be properly labeled to inform consumers.
Some experts have raised concerns that these items may trigger allergic reactions in individuals who are sensitive to crustaceans, mollusks, and dust mites.
In addition to these two insect preparations, the European Union has already approved other insect-based foods such as dried mealworm (Tenebrio Molitor) and dried migratory locust powder.
Furthermore, there are currently eight other applications for insect-based foods being evaluated by the EU.
Some people have raised alarm over this new development, with one Twitter post saying, “In two days, an EU regulation will go into effect that allows for ‘Acheta domesticus’, aka house crickets, to be added to flour, bread, pasta, etc. as an ‘authorized novel food for the general population’. They want you to eat bugs without you knowing it.”
House crickets may not be safe for human consumption. They contain dangerous diseases and parasites, such as E. coli and salmonella.
Chitin is found in cricket powder. Chitin is a polysaccharide found in the exoskeletons of insects. It is not easily digestible by the human gut and can lead to various health issues such as cancer, parasites, fungi, allergies, and other illnesses. It is toxic to humans and causes inflammation and immune responses in the body.
A study on rats found that prolonged consumption of chitosan, a derivative of chitin, resulted in the depletion of essential vitamins and nutritional deficiencies.
Additionally, the thymus weight of 9% of male and female rats in the study was significantly reduced compared to control groups, indicating potential organ damage. These findings suggest that consuming a diet high in chitin may cause gradual organ death.
It’s important to know whether the food you’re eating contains insects. Eating food with insects can pose health risks, as well as ethical and environmental concerns.
