EU/USA/Canada - Edible insects as functional foods: bioactive compounds, health benefits, safety concerns, allergenicity, and regulatory considerations
European Union
Apr 21, 2025
As the global consumption of edible insects continues to rise, the need for regulatory frameworks to ensure consumer safety has become increasingly evident, leading several countries to implement specific regulations. In the European Union (EU), insects have been classified as “novel foods” since 2015, and their commercialization is regulated under Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The first insect received authorization for sale in 2021, and currently, four species have been approved: the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), the migratory locust (Locusta migratoria), the house cricket (Acheta domesticus), and the grain mold beetle larva (Alphitobius diaperinus). Their inclusion in human food products follows Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, while specific implementing regulations govern the commercialization of Acheta domesticus (Regulation (EU) 2022/188), Tenebrio molitor (Regulation (EU) 2022/169), and Alphitobius diaperinus (Regulation (EU) 2023/58). Since insects were not widely consumed before 1997, they are classified as novel foods and must be listed by the European Commission before they can be marketed, with labeling requirements specifying potential allergenic risks. In Canada, regulatory provisions allow food items with a documented history of traditional consumption elsewhere in the world to be sold without additional regulations, provided they undergo the novelty determination process . Consequently, various insect species have been classified as non-novel foods, and the Canadian government has officially recognized this ingredient as having a history of safe consumption.
Author(s): Ruiz FE, A., Ortega Jácome, J.F., Tejera, E & Alvarez-Suarez, J.M.
Published in: Front. Nutr.
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