New Regulation on Novel Foods was written into EU law on Thursday 19 November 2015, opening the continent up to new and innovative food sources, like insect and cloned meat.
The move is a big step forward in the expansion and diversification of meat. However, the IPIFF, which represents insect breeders across the EU, has stressed the need for “workable rules and sufficient guidance” to help insect production firms comply with the new laws.
“The insect sector relies on a solid and stable EU regulatory framework to secure its production activities and investment plans. The efforts made by the EU legislator to harmonise the new rules and to streamline the procedural steps are therefore moving in the right direction,” said IPIFF president Antoine Hubert.
Crickets safe to eat
In order to sell novel insect foods in Europe, producers need to gain approval from the EU. This is achieved via the submission of a detailed dossier outlining the benefits of their product. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) then conducts a risk assessment of the product before a novel food – such as crickets or mealworms – can be declared safe to eat.
Novel foods are defined by the EU as produce that has not been consumed to a “significant degree” in the European Union before May 1997. To date there have been around 170 applications for novel food status, with just over half gaining EU approval.
Putting together a report for the EU is expensive for cash-strapped insect breeders. Hubert stressed: “It is key that the administrative burden and the costs for applicants are reduced as much as possible.”
Heidi de Bruin, producer of insects for food consumption and IPIFF founding member, believes insect breeders have already done enough and said: “EU companies selling these products have already gathered substantial data demonstrating the safety of their products for human consumption.”