Eugenia Costanza Laurenza and Ignacio Carreño publish article Edible Insects and Insect-based Products in the EU
The article published in Issue 2/2015 of the European Journal of Risk Regulation (EJRR) discusses entomogaphy, the practice of eating insects, which is not yet very popular in the EU. However, the number of entomophagists in Europe does appear to be growing, in part because insect protein may serve as a more environmentally friendly alternative to meat. Belgium and France recently drafted opinions on food safety aspects of insects intended for human consumption, which address whether the consumption of insects presents a risk for public health. The article concludes that in the EU as a whole, the legal framework surrounding entomophagy is uncertain. However, depending on the insect and product at issue, producers, suppliers and sellers of insects intended for human consumption have a variety of regulatory options to consider, including on novel foods.