Crickets And Mealworms Approved For Human Consumption In Europe

The European Commission has approved house crickets and lesser mealworm larvae for human consumption as novel foods. The insect protein must be labeled as such and will not be enforced on menus. Insects are seen as a future-proof food source due to their high protein content, with potential to provide more protein than some plant sources and traditional meats.

While insect protein is touted as a sustainable food source, concerns exist about the impact of industrialized farming techniques that would be necessary to produce insects in large enough quantities to meet global protein needs. Animal rights campaigners are against the use of insects in the food chain, citing increasing evidence of insect sentience. The conditions and treatment of insects in future farming practices could be influenced by this emerging knowledge.