The European Union has officially introduced a regulation legalizing the use of insects as ingredients in bread and cakes.
The regulation, (EU) 2025/89, was adopted by the European Commission and personally signed by Ursula von der Leyen, the body’s president, in January, which authorized the placing on the market of UV-treated powder of whole Tenebrio molitor larvae (yellow mealworm) as a novel food.
The EU has been seeking alternatives for meat for years and asserts that EU citizens currently consume too much of it.
Around 350 million tons of meat are consumed worldwide each year, and on average, a Pole consumes around 75 kg of meat and meat products per year, which is significantly more than the EU average, Polish website Salon24 reported.
The EC’s climate policy involves reducing greenhouse gas pollution by 90% by 2040 compared to the level in 1990. Agriculture generates over 10% of annual gas emissions.
This is why there has been a drive for laboratory produced meat and an emphasis on introducing insects into EU citizens' diets.
“Insects may play a more important role in increasing the availability and sourcing of alternative proteins,” Rafael Perez Berbejal, team leader for novel foods at DG SANTE, the commission department responsible for EU policy on food safety and health, said in an interview published on the European Commission's website.
Insects are rich in protein and in dried form contain a proportionately higher quantity than livestock. However, their exoskeletons are made of chitin, which humans struggle to digest. This can limit the availability of nutrients like protein and amino acids.
Following the new regulation on bread and rolls sold within the EU, they will be able to legally contain 4 grams of mealworms per 100 g of bread, and cakes – 3.5 g of larvae per 100 g of cake.
The EU has been seeking alternatives for meat for years and asserts that EU citizens currently consume too much of it.
Around 350 million tons of meat are consumed worldwide each year, and on average, a Pole consumes around 75 kg of meat and meat products per year, which is significantly more than the EU average, Polish website Salon24 reported.
Climate goals
The EC’s climate policy involves reducing greenhouse gas pollution by 90% by 2040 compared to the level in 1990. Agriculture generates over 10% of annual gas emissions.
This is why there has been a drive for laboratory produced meat and an emphasis on introducing insects into EU citizens' diets.
“Insects may play a more important role in increasing the availability and sourcing of alternative proteins,” Rafael Perez Berbejal, team leader for novel foods at DG SANTE, the commission department responsible for EU policy on food safety and health, said in an interview published on the European Commission's website.
Insects are rich in protein and in dried form contain a proportionately higher quantity than livestock. However, their exoskeletons are made of chitin, which humans struggle to digest. This can limit the availability of nutrients like protein and amino acids.
Following the new regulation on bread and rolls sold within the EU, they will be able to legally contain 4 grams of mealworms per 100 g of bread, and cakes – 3.5 g of larvae per 100 g of cake.
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