Insect Protein

Insect-derived novel foods are among the most established categories under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283, with several species authorised and listed on the Union List. Authorised species include the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), and the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), in various forms (whole, dried, powder, frozen).

Despite the existence of authorised precedents, new insect protein applications still face specific assessment challenges. Allergenicity is the primary concern — EFSA's 2015 risk profile on insects as food and feed identified cross-reactivity between insect proteins (particularly tropomyosin and arginine kinase) and crustacean/shellfish allergens as a key risk. All authorised insect novel foods carry mandatory labelling warnings for consumers with crustacean allergies.

Other specific requirements include: microbiological safety of the farming and processing environment, monitoring for contaminants that may accumulate through feed (heavy metals, pesticide residues, mycotoxins), and a detailed production process covering the entire chain from rearing to processing.

Applicants submitting for an already-authorised species in a new form or from a different production process still require a separate novel food application.