07 June 2023 written by Traute Kaufmann
The Federal Center for Nutrition (BZE) informs: “People around the world should eat more insects. With this idea, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a public debate in 2013 that has now practically reached the heart of society” (1).
Until now, the use of insect ingredients as food additives has gone largely unnoticed by consumers
Since 2012, the secretion that the female lacquer scale insect secretes to protect its eggs has been authorised as a food additive in the EU. Previously largely unnoticed by consumers, the so-called carmine (or cochineal, also disguised as E120) makes children's chocolate sweets, chocolate sultanas from Kaufland, Pure White chewing gum from Mentos or even some types of fruit shine. Allergist Dr Susanne Meinrenken, MD, informs us at www.Mein-Allergie-Portal.com that carmine is one of the insect allergens that most frequently lead to allergies (1). If that doesn't worry you yet, you will start to think about it after reading the following information.
Which insects are now declared as (new) foods?
While the use of insects in food was not permitted in the EU in the past due to health concerns, the barriers came down in 2021: largely unnoticed by the public, the Novel Food Regulation
flour beetle and
migratory locust
were approved as so-called new foods and can therefore be added to flour, cakes, cereals, potato chips, pasta, even vegan milk and meat substitutes and much more.
This was followed at the beginning of 2023 by
the house cricket (3) and
the buffalo worm and the larva of the grain beetle (4)
as insects in food, which this time did not go unnoticed by consumers and caused disgust and indignation among many citizens.
Until recently, consumer advocates and the public media were still skeptical
Before this blog was published, the German consumer advice centers were still writing about the consumption of insects: “In the case of allergies to shellfish and crustaceans, house dust mites and molluscs, the consumption of edible insects can trigger an allergic reaction” (5). They pointed out that the reaction of the human organism to the introduction of bugs has not yet been sufficiently researched and warned of severe cross-reactions. Among other things, they referred to international studies (6, 7). In October 2020, they stated: “Insects have numerous microorganisms on the body surface, the mouthparts, but especially in the intestine. Overall, the proportion of microbial biomass, including pathogenic germs, in the entire insect body is between one and ten percent, depending on the insect species. As it is not possible to remove the intestines of most insects, a high microbial load must be assumed” (8).
Just a few years ago, public media such as Deutschlandfunk explained serious reasons why insects are not allowed in food. It was argued that:
the insect larvae used are very rich in fat and these fatty bodies in turn accumulate harmful substances such as cadmium, which can lead to kidney or bone damage
insects contain allergenic structures that can trigger allergies or even anaphylactic shock
bacteria, parasites and other pathogens accumulate in the animals' intestines during the breeding of insects or their maggots, which are then processed together with the insects (9).
The Baden-Württemberg consumer advice center recently wrote that measures for allergen labelling and germ reduction are mandatory for insects that have been approved to date. However, this only applies to insects imported after January 1, 2018, but not to insects that were already on the market in the EU before 2018: “A transitional provision applies to these insects (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, Art. 35 para. 2). If an application for authorization has been submitted, they may therefore continue to be sold until a final decision on authorization has been made” (10). Due to this transitional regulation, insect products whose germicidal properties and allergen labeling do not comply with the Novel Food Regulation are currently being placed on the market (ibid.). The consumer advice center also lists conceivable risks:
The transmission of zoonoses, i.e. infectious diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa.
The use of medicines such as antibiotics, hormones or other chemicals.
Lack of hygiene regulations for edible insects.
Lack of clear regulations on identity marking for insect-producing and processing companies.
How safe is it to eat insect meal and insect fat?
In January 2023, the EU Commission felt compelled to refer to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in a statement via Twitter, which had found in various studies “[...] that insects are a very nutritious and healthy food source with a high content of fat, protein, vitamins, fibre and minerals” (11).
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA-EU) publishes the following statement: “The Panel considers that consumption of the NF [Note: Novel Food] could induce primary sensitization to A. domesticus proteins and cause allergic reactions in individuals allergic to crustaceans, mites and molluscs and that allergens from the feed could enter the NF [Note: Novel Food]. The Panel concludes that the NF [Note: Novel Food] is safe for the proposed uses and use levels” (2, 3). The Panel acknowledges that the incorporation of insects into food may cause allergies and at the same time considers that the consumption of this incorporation is safe if the proposed uses and use levels are adhered to.
Vermin as a new food culture harbors a risk
Against this background, individual consumers are well advised not to trust the recommendations of the institutions without hesitation, but to consider carefully whether they want to include insects in their diet. Anyone who does not want to add insect meal to their usual foods should check for themselves whether insect powder, insect fat or insect paste from mealworm larvae and the like has been added to their preferred foods.
The InsectInspect.app can read the list of ingredients and therefore offers the highest hit rates
As the best insect app, the Insect Inspect.app is a valuable aid. Scan the EAN code or the ingredients list of the product when shopping and the app will reliably show you whether insects have been added. Unlike comparable apps, Insect Inspect.app can read the list of ingredients and is therefore independent of the functionality of the EAN code. This is important because many EAN codes are not stored in official databases such as the Open Food Fact. This is where comparable apps fall short and often display a question mark because they cannot read the ingredients. Insect Inspect.app does not let you down here, which is particularly important for regional foods, as these are not usually stored in official databases. The app is available for both iOS and Android.
Sources:
(1) Bundeszentrum für Ernährung (o.D.). Essbare Insekten. Vom Exoten auf dem Weg zur alltägichen Kost. Retrieved from https://www.bzfe.de/lebensmittel/trendlebensmittel/insekten/ on 07.06.2023.
(2) Meinrenken, S. (03.02.2023) : Insekten als Lebensmittel : Ein Risiko für Allergiker? Retrieved from https://www.mein-allergie-portal.com/redaktionsteam/autoren/3553-dr-med-susanne-meinrenken.html on 07.06.2023
(3) Amtsblatt der Eruopäischen Union. Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2023/5 vom 03.01.2023. Retrieved from EU-Verordng 2023-5-CELEX_32023R0005_DE_TXT.pdf on 07.06.2023.
(4) EUR-Lex (2023). Durchführungsverordnung (EU) 2023/58 der Kommission vom 5. Januar 2023. Retrieved from https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/DE/TXT/?toc=OJ%3AL%3A2023%3A005%3AFULL&uri=uriserv%3AOJ.L_.2023.005.01.0010.01.DEU on 07.06.2023.
(5) Verbraucherzentrale Baden-Württemberg (06.10.2022). Insekten essen? Retrieved from https://www.verbraucherzentrale-bawue.de/lebensmittel/insekten-essen-52297 on 07.06.2023
(5) Douglas, A.E. (2015). Multiorganismal insects: Diversity and function of resident microorganisms. The Annual Review of Entomology 2015; 60: 17-34.
(6) Garofalo C., Milanovic´ V., Cardinali F., Aquilanti L., Clementi F., Osimani A. (2019): Current knowledge on the microbiota of edible insects intended for human consumption: A stateof-the-art review. Food Research International 2019; 125: 108527
(7) Verbraucherzentrale Bayern e.V. - federführend (10/2020). Insekten essen. Retrieved from https://www.verbraucherzentrale-bawue.de/sites/default/files/2020-10/Marktcheck-Speiseinsekten-2020.pdf on 07.06.2023.
(8) Dlf Nova (24.05.2016): Insekten als Nahrung in Deutschland nicht erlaubt.
(9) Verbraucherzentrale Baden Württemberg e.V. (13.03.2024). Insekten essen: Eine Alternative zu herkömmlichem Fleisch? Retrieved from https://www.verbraucherzentrale-bawue.de/wissen/lebensmittel/auswaehlen-zubereiten-aufbewahren/insekten-essen-eine-alternative-zu-herkoemmlichem-fleisch-33101 on 07.06.2023.
(10) EU-Kommission - Vertretung Deutschland (18.01.2023), Twitter.
Picture credits:
Cricket on a plate lizenziert von Berit Kessler.adobe.stock.