Safety of frozen and dried formulations from whole house crickets (Acheta domesticus) as a Novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Safety of Acheta domesticus powder as a Novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on Acheta (A.) domesticus powder as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The main components of the NF are protein, fat and dietary fibre (chitin). The Panel notes that the concentration of contaminants in the NF depends on the occurrence levels of these substances in the insect feed. The Panel further notes that there are no safety concerns regarding the stability of the NF if the NF complies with the proposed specification limits during its entire shelf-life. The NF has a high protein content, although the true protein content is overestimated when using the nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor of 6.25 due to the presence of non-protein nitrogen from chitin. The applicant proposed to use the NF as food ingredient in a number of food products. The target population proposed by the applicant is the general population. Considering the composition of the NF and the proposed conditions of use, the consumption of the NF is not nutritionally disadvantageous. The panel notes that no safety concerns arise from the toxicological information of A. domesticus. The panel considers that the consumption of the NF might trigger primary sensitisation to A. domesticus proteins and may cause allergic reactions in subjects allergic to crustaceans, mites and molluscs. Additionally, allergens from the feed may end up in the NF. The panel concludes that the NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels.

Imported allergens in Italy: an emerging issue

Imported allergens are involved in many allergic reactions, with unexpected and unusual implications. They can be involved in developing asthma, allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, Hymenoptera venom allergies and food allergies. Imported allergens can be implied in respiratory allergies attributable to commercial practices and accidental diffusion through air currents that have introduced non-native species in new geographical contexts. Ambrosia artemisiifolia L., a plant native to North America and currently in the western part of Lombardy, represents an example. Moreover, a variation in the pollen concentration in the Northwest Tuscany area and Trentino Alto-Adige was observed. Cannabis sativa is another imported allergen used frequently by adolescents. Regarding potential imported food allergens, there is no validated list. Imported food allergens derive from ethnic foods, referring to Mexican/Latin American, Chinese/Japanese, Southeast Asian, Arab/Middle Eastern and African cuisine. Four insect flours were recently introduced to the European and Italian markets (Acheta domesticus, Alphitobius diaperinus, Tenebrio molitor and Locusta migratoria). The association between the accidental introduction through commercial traffic, climate change, and the absence of natural enemies in the destination ecosystem is related to the introduction of a specific Hymenoptera, Vespa velutina, in Italy and Europe. External events attributable to human activities, such as climate change and the introduction of non-native plants, foods and Hymenoptera through trade, have contributed to the issue of imported allergens. Making the correct diagnosis and guiding the diagnostic and therapeutic path in this particular context represent the concerns of the pediatric allergist.

Allergic to bureaucracy? Regulatory allergenicity assessments of novel food: Motivations, challenges, compromises, and possibilities

New sources of proteins are essential to meet the demands of the growing world population and evolving food trends. Assessing the allergenicity of proteins in novel food (NF) poses a significant food safety regulatory challenge. The Codex Alimentarius Commission presented an allergenicity assessment protocol for genetically modified (GM) foods, which can also be adapted for NF. Since no single laboratory test can adequately predict the allergenic potential of NF, the protocol follows a weight-of-evidence approach, evaluated by experts, as part of a risk management process. Regulatory bodies worldwide have adopted this safety protocol, which, among other things, promotes global harmonization. This review unravels the reliability and various motivations, terms, concepts, and approaches of allergenicity assessments, aiming to enhance understanding among manufacturers and the public. Health Canada, Food Safety Commission JAPAN, and Food Standards Australia New Zealand were surveyed, focusing on the European Food Safety Authority and the US Food Safety Administration for examples of scientific opinions regarding allergenicity assessments for novel and GM foods, from 2019 to 2023. According to our findings, current regulatory allergenicity assessments for NF approval primarily rely on literature reviews. Only a few of the NF assessments proactively presented additional tests. We recommend conducting bioinformatic analyses on NF when a panel of experts deems that there is insufficient prior scientific research.

Effect of cooking methods on nutritional value and microbial safety of edible rhinoceros beetle grubs (Oryctes sp.)

Although edible rhinoceros beetle (Oryctes sp.) larvae are popularly consumed in many countries worldwide, they are prepared using different methods such as boiling, roasting, toasting, and deep-frying, whose effect on nutritional value and microbial safety is scarcely known. Here we investigated the effect of these methods on the nutritional value and microbial safety of Oryctes sp. larvae. Our hypothesis was that cooking the grubs using the four methods had no effect on their nutritional content and microbial loads and diversity. The grubs were analyzed for proximate composition, and fatty and amino acid profiles using standard chemical procedures; and microbial safety using standard culturing procedures. Deep-frying reduced protein and carbohydrate content, but elevated fat content. Boiling lowered ash content, but increased fibre and carbohydrate composition. Roasting and toasting increased protein and ash contents, respectively. Forty fatty acids were detected in the larvae, of which levels of only five were not significantly affected by cooking method, while the levels of the others were differentially affected by the different cooking methods. Amino acid profiles and levels were largely comparable across treatments, but lysine and arginine were higher in all cooked grubs than raw form. All the cooking methods eliminated Enterobacteriaceae, Shigella sp. and Campylobacter sp. from the grubs. Except boiling, all methods reduced total viable count to safe levels. Salmonella sp. were only eliminated by toasting and roasting; while boiling promoted growth of yeast and moulds. Staphylococcus aureus levels exceeded safety limits in all the cooking methods. These findings offer guidance on the type of method to use in preparing the grubs for desired nutritional and safety outcomes.

Consumption of edible insects and insect-based foods: A systematic review of sensory properties and evoked emotional response

Low consumer acceptance of edible insects and insect-based products is one of the main barriers to the successful implementation of entomophagy in Western countries. This rejection is mainly caused by consumers' negative emotional responses, psychological/personality traits, and attitudes toward food choices. However, as the role of intrinsic product characteristics on such food choices has not been adequately studied, a systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA method, to analyze studies that have assessed hedonic evaluations, sensory profiling, or emotional responses to edible insects or insect-based products. The majority of studies performed with whole insects and insect flour highlight that insect-based products are more negatively evaluated than control products. Although the sensory properties of insects are affected by species and processing conditions, they are generally negative across sensory dimensions. In particular, insects and insect-based products are generally associated with odor and flavor/taste attributes that are related to old/spoiled food. These negative attributes can be linked to the fat fraction of edible insects, with insect oils being very negatively evaluated by consumers. On the other hand, defatted fractions and deodorized oils are not associated with these negative attributes, further supporting the hypothesis that the fat fraction is responsible for the negative odor and flavor/taste attributes. However, there is still a lack of studies assessing the sensory profile of edible insects and insect-based products, as well as consumers' emotional responses to their consumption. Future studies should focus on the effects of different processing conditions, products incorporating insect fractions (namely protein concentrates/isolates and defatted fractions), and evaluation by target consumer groups.

Novel insect-based child nutrition: the position of the nutritional committee of the Italian society of pediatric gastroenterology, hepatology and nutrition (SIGENP)

BACKGROUND

The European Union (EU) approved the placement on European market of insect-based novel foods. Those foods were defined safe for the consumption for all European population, including children.

MAIN BODY

The nutrition committee of the Italian society of Paediatric Hepatology and Nutrition (SIGENP) performed literature research to understand benefits and risk of those use of those NF for Italian children. A special attention was reserved to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) reports upon which those novel insect-based were approved.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the current knowledge, despite a possible ecological advantage, the group of expert suggests additional researches before pronouncing on a possible use for children diet, because of insufficient evidence on nutritional benefits and possible food allergies.

Evaluating an emerging technology-based biorefinery for edible house crickets

Introduction

Edible insects, specifically house crickets, are expected to play an important role in the future food systems due to their rich nutritional profile, low environmental impact and growing consumer acceptance as food. Their content of proteins, lipids, chitin and phenolics offer great potential for the valorization of their biomass into nutritional end products and fractions. Furthermore, emerging food processing technologies and green solvents are relevant for improving the valorization process.

Materials and methods

High pressure (HP) and ultrasound (US) processing were implemented in an insect biorefinery system, where a hexane/methanol/water solvent was used to separate fat, phenolics and a solid fraction containing proteins and chitin. Subsequently, a deep eutectic solvent of betaine and urea (B/U) was used to for protein and chitin isolation.

Results

A maximum of 15% of fat was isolated, with no positive effect from the US or HP treatments. The US treatment enhanced the phenolic extraction yield by 38.69%, while HP negatively affected the antioxidant capacity. B/U was efficient in separating proteins and chitin, resulting in a protein concentrate with a protein content ≥80% and a chitinous fraction with a chitin content ≥70%.

Conclusion

House cricket biomass can be refined into valuable fractions with a quick and simple method, making the process industrially relevant.

Safety of UV-treated powder of whole yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on UV-treated powder of whole yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva) as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The term yellow mealworm refers to the larval form of the insect species T. molitor. The NF is the UV-treated powder of the whole, thermally dried yellow mealworm. The NF consists mainly of crude protein, fat, digestible carbohydrates and fibre (chitin). The Panel notes that the levels of contaminants in the NF highly depend on the occurrence levels of these substances in the insect feed. The Panel notes furthermore that there are no safety concerns regarding the stability of the NF if the NF complies with the proposed specification limits during its entire shelf life. The NF has a high protein content, although the true protein content in the NF is overestimated when using the nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor of 6.25, due to the presence of non-protein nitrogen. The applicant proposed to use the NF as an ingredient in various food products, such as bakery products, pasta, compotes of fruit/vegetables and cheese. The target population is the general population. The Panel notes that considering the composition of the NF, the proposed conditions of use and that the NF will not be the sole source of dietary protein, the consumption of the NF is not nutritionally disadvantageous. Despite the UV treatment, the Panel notes that the NF is not a significant dietary contributor of vitamin D3. The submitted toxicity studies from the literature did not raise safety concerns. The Panel considers that the consumption of the NF may induce primary sensitisation and allergic reactions to yellow mealworm proteins and may cause allergic reactions in subjects with allergies to crustaceans and dust mites. Additionally, allergens from the feed may end up in the NF. With the exception of possible allergenicity, the Panel concludes that the NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels.

The Interaction of Slaughtering, Drying, and Defatting Methods Differently Affects Oxidative Quality of the Fat from Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae

The interrelation effect of slaughtering, drying, and defatting methods of BSFL on the oxidative quality of the derived fat was studied. Blanching and freezing were compared as slaughtering methods, followed by oven or freeze-drying for drying and mechanical pressing or SFE for defatting. The oxidative state and stability of the extracted fat and defatted meals were monitored immediately after their production, using peroxide value (PV) and Rancimat test, and over 24 weeks of storage. Slaughtering and drying methods had an independent effect on PV, with freezing and freeze-drying being the best methods. Mechanical pressing and SFE were comparable and superior to conventional hexane defatting. Interactions were observed between slaughtering and defatting, drying and defatting, and between all three factors. Generally, freeze-drying combined with any of the slaughtering and defatting methods resulted in the lowest PVs, with mechanical pressing being preferred. Freeze-drying plus mechanical pressing also produced the most stable fats during storage according to the evolution of PV, while the combination of blanching and SFE produced the least stable. A significant correlation was found between the PV at 24 weeks and the antioxidant activity of the fats. Contrary to storage assays, in accelerated Rancimat assays, freeze-dried samples were the least stable, which was partially attributed to the significant correlation with the acid values of the samples. Defatted meals followed a similar pattern to the extracted fat, except for worse oxidation for SFE defatting. Therefore, the different processing methods of slaughtering, drying, and defatting of BSFL differently affect lipid oxidation, with interactions between such successive steps.

Comparing the aromatic profile of seven unheated edible insect species

Insects and insect-based products have gained increasing interest as human food because of their many technological, nutritional and environmental advantages, but they are still rejected by many Western consumers. Analytical knowledge of flavour compounds could contribute to enhancing product attractiveness to consumers. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the volatile compound profiles of 7 unheated insects: Zophobas morio (ZM), Tenebrio molitor (TM), Locusta migratoria (LM), Galleria mellonella (GM), Blaptica dubia (BD), Alphitobius diaperinus (ALD) and Acheta domesticus (ACD). A total of 67 compounds were identified. Carboxylic acids were predominant in ALD, BD, GM, TM and ZM, while ketones were the major family in ACD and linear hydrocarbons in LM. ZM contained the highest number of unpleasant odour compounds, including indole, also present in BD and GM, which is characterised by a low detection threshold.

Factors Affecting the Nutritional, Health, and Technological Quality of Durum Wheat for Pasta-Making: A Systematic Literature Review

Durum wheat is one of the most important food sources in the world, playing a key role in human nutrition, as well as in the economy of the different countries in which its production areas are concentrated. Its grain also represents a staple and highly versatile ingredient in the development of health foods. Nonetheless, the aspects determining durum wheat's health quality and their interactions are many, complex, and not entirely known. Therefore, the present systematic literature review aims at advancing the understanding of the relationships among nutritional, health, and technological properties of durum wheat grain, semolina, and pasta, by evaluating the factors that, either positively or negatively, can affect the quality of the products. Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases were systematically searched utilising sets of keywords following the PRISMA guidelines, and the relevant results of the definitive 154 eligible studies were presented and discussed. Thus, the review identified the most promising strategies to improve durum wheat quality and highlighted the importance of adopting multidisciplinary approaches for such purposes.

Introducing insect- or plant-based dinner meals to families in Denmark: study protocol for a randomized intervention trial

BACKGROUND

Plant- and insect-based foods are promising alternative protein sources. Previous studies have shown that introducing plant-based foods to the diet can reduce meat intake, but no such intervention has explored the effects of insect-based foods.

METHODS

This study aims to integrate alternative proteins to main meals of 80 Danish families through a 6-week two-arm randomized intervention trial to investigate acceptance, consumption, and potential for meat replacement. The primary outcome is the replacement of dietary meat protein with plant- or insect-based protein from the intervention foods assessed through change in daily meat protein intake, proportion of meat protein to total protein intake, and counts of dinner meals with meat and intervention products.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study will contribute to research in alternative proteins and explore the effects of long-term exposure of meat replacement.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05156853 . Registered 24 December 2021.

Composite materials for innovative urban farming of alternative food sources (macroalgae and crickets)

Facing an inexorable growth of the human population along with substantial environmental changes, the assurance of food security is a major challenge of the present century. To ensure responsible food consumption and production (SDG 12), new approaches in the food system are required. Thus, environmentally controlled, sustainable production of alternative food sources are of key interest for both urban agriculture and food research. To face the current challenge of integrating food production systems within existing structures, multidisciplinary discourses are required. Here, we bring together novel technologies and indoor farming techniques with the aim of supporting the development of sustainable food production systems. For this purpose, we investigated the feasibility of 10 composite materials for their innovative use as structural support in macroalgal cultivation (settlement substrates) and cricket rearing (housing). Considering material resistance, rigidity, and direct material-organism interactions, the bio-based composite polylactic acid (PLA) was identified as a suitable material for joint farming. For macroalgae cultivation, PLA sustained the corrosive cultivation conditions and provided a suitable substrate without affecting the macroalgal physiology or nutritional composition (carotenoids and chlorophylls). For cricket rearing, PLA provided a suitable and recyclable shelter, which was quickly accepted by the animals without any observed harm. In contrast, other common composite components like phenolic resin or aramid were found to be unsuitable due to being harmful for the cultivated organisms or instable toward the applied sterilization procedure. This multidisciplinary study not only provides profound insights in the developing field of urban indoor food production from a new perspective, but also bridges material science and farming approaches to develop new sustainable and resilient food production systems.

Consumers' Acceptability and Perception of Edible Insects as an Emerging Protein Source

In recent years in Western Europe, studies on entomophagy have drawn the attention of many researchers interested in identifying parameters that could improve the acceptability of insect consumption in order to introduce insects as a sustainable source of protein into the future diet. Analysing the factors involved in consumer acceptability in the Mediterranean area could help to improve their future acceptance. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an ad-hoc questionnaire in which 1034 consumers participated. The questionnaire responses allowed us to study the areas relevant to acceptance: neophobia, social norms, familiarity, experiences of consumption and knowledge of benefits. Only 13.15% of participants had tried insects. Disgust, lack of custom and food safety were the main reasons for avoiding insect consumption. Consequently, preparations with an appetising appearance need to be offered, with flours being the most accepted format. The 40-59-year-old age group was the one most willing to consume them. To introduce edible insects as food in the future, it is important to inform people about their health, environmental and economic benefits because that could increase their willingness to include them in their diet.

Effect of Narrowband UV-B Irradiation on the Growth Performance of House Crickets

Indoor co-cultivation systems can answer to the need for sustainable and resilient food production systems. Rearing organisms under light-emitting diodes (LEDs) irradiation provides the possibility to control and shape the emitted light spectra. UV-B-irradiation (280-315 nm) can positively affect the nutritional composition of different plants and other organisms, whereas information on edible insects is scarce. To evaluate the potential effect of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and LED-emitting LEDs on the rearing and nutritional quality of edible insects, house crickets (Acheta domesticus) were reared from the age of 21 days under controlled LED spectra, with an additional UV-B (0.08 W/m2) dose of 1.15 KJm2 d-1 (illuminated over a period for 4 h per day) for 34 days. UV-B exposure showed no harm to the weight of the crickets and significantly increased their survival by ca. 10% under narrowband UV-B treatment. The nutritional composition including proteins, fat and chitin contents of the insects was not affected by the UV-B light and reached values of 60.03 ± 10.41, 22.38 ± 2.12 and 9.33 ± 1.21%, respectively, under the LED irradiation. Therefore, house crickets can grow under LED irradiation with a positive effect of narrowband UV-B application on their survival.

Beyond Human Nutrition of Edible Insects: Health Benefits and Safety Aspects

Nowadays, edible insects are considered an outstanding source of nutrients, primarily because they contain high-quality protein, amino acids, and vitamins. Insects are considered a promising alternative protein source towards alleviating future global food shortage problems due to their production considered as being more sustainable by using less agricultural land and water, as well as releasing a smaller amount of greenhouse gas emissions. However, other important aspects to consider about the consumption of edible insects include their health benefits and some safety aspects, which has been relatively overlooked. In this sense, edible insects contain bioactive compounds that can provide diverse bioactivities, such as antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and immunomodulatory with a positive impact on human health. On the other hand, edible insects are a nutrient-rich food that can provide a perfect growth medium for diverse microorganisms, as well as possess some anti-nutritive factors. These two main aspects could represent food safety concerns for consumers. In this context, recent scientific evidence indicates that preservation methods, mainly thermal treatments, utilized in the cooking or processing of edible insects decreased the microbial levels and anti-nutritive factors, which suggests that edible insects do not represent a critical biological risk to humans. Besides, edible insects could have a positive effect on gut microbiota, either by their pre-biotic effect or their antimicrobial activity towards pathogens. Thus, this review is focused on studies related to the health benefits of edible insects and their isolated components, as well as discussion about potential issues related to their microbial content and anti-nutritive factors; this review will provide a synopsis on whether edible insects may be considered safe for human consumption.

Risk-Benefit assessment of foods: Development of a methodological framework for the harmonized selection of nutritional, microbiological, and toxicological components

Investigating the impact of diet on public health using risk-benefit assessment (RBA) methods that simultaneously consider both beneficial and adverse health outcomes could be useful for shaping dietary policies and guidelines. In the field of food safety and nutrition, RBA is a relatively new approach facing methodological challenges and being subject to further developments. One of the methodological aspects calling for improvement is the selection of components to be considered in the assessment, currently based mainly on non-harmonized unstandardized experts' judgment. Our aim was to develop a harmonized, transparent, and documented methodological framework for selecting nutritional, microbiological, and toxicological RBA components. The approach was developed under the Novel foods as red meat replacers-an insight using Risk-Benefit Assessment methods (NovRBA) case study, which attempted to estimate the overall health impact of replacing red meat with an edible insect species, Acheta domesticus. Starting from the compositional profiles of both food items, we created a "long list" of food components. By subsequently applying a series of predefined criteria, we proceeded from the "long" to the "short list." These criteria were established based on the occurrence and severity of health outcomes related to these components. For nutrition and microbiology, the occurrence of health outcomes was evaluated considering the presence of a component in the raw material, as well as the effect of processing on the respective component. Regarding toxicology, the presence and exposure relative to reference doses and the contribution to total exposure were considered. Severity was graded with the potential contribution to the background diet alongside bioavailability aspects (nutrition), the disability-adjusted life years per case of illness of each hazard (microbiology), and disease incidence in the population, potential fatality, and lifelong disability (toxicology). To develop the "final list" of components, the "short list" was refined by considering the availability and quality of data for a feasible inclusion in the RBA model. The methodology developed can be broadly used in food RBA, to guide and reinforce a harmonized selection of nutritional, microbiological, and toxicological components and will contribute to facilitating RBA implementation, enabling the generation of transparent, robust, and comparable outcomes.

Folate contents in insects as promising food components quantified by stable isotope dilution

Concerning the increasing population, edible insects are of growing interest due to several advantages such as sustainable production and as a source of high-quality nutrients. One of the less studied nutrients are folates, in the context of insects is folates, which play an important role in human metabolism. In the article, we describe how six different insect species are reared and extracted for five common folate vitamers by high-performance liquid chromatography interfaced with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). For this purpose, house crickets (Acheta domesticus—adults), Jamaican field crickets (Gryllus assimilis—adults), discoid cockroaches (Blaberus discoidalis—nymphs), migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria—adults), mealworms (Tenebrio molitor), and lesser mealworms (Alphitobius diaperinus) were investigated. The total folate content differs between 59.1 ± 6.50 and 143 ± 11.1 μg/100 g. Also, the feed, which was adapted to the needs of the insects and differed for some species, was extracted for their total folate content. The four different feed compositions (rapeseed, chicken feed, bramble leaves, and a mix of chicken feed, wheat bran, and carrot/apples) showed a folate content of about 100 μg/100 g, except for hay, where the content was 300 μg/100 g. In general, the insect folate content is comparable to other food and seems to be a promising source of folates. However, the amount of consumption needed to meet the requirement must also be considered. Moreover, the effect of different influencing factors is not yet entirely clear and needs further investigation.

Safety of frozen and freeze-dried formulations of the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus larva) as a Novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on frozen and dried formulations from whole lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus larva) as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The term lesser mealworm refers to the larval form of the insect species Alphitobius diaperinus. The NF comprises the frozen and freeze-dried formulations of the lesser mealworm as whole or in the form of a paste or powder. Apart from water in the frozen formulations (whole, paste), the main components of the NF are crude protein and fat, besides smaller amounts of digestible carbohydrates and fibre (chitin). The Panel notes that the levels of contaminants in the NF depend on the concentration of such substances in the insect feed. The Panel notes furthermore that the true protein levels in the NF are overestimated when using the nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor of 6.25, due to the presence of non-protein nitrogen from chitin. The applicant proposed to use the NF formulations added as an ingredient to various food products such as cereal bars, pasta, meat imitates and bakery products. The target population is the general population. Additionally, the applicant proposed to use the NF as a food supplement in adults. The Panel notes that, considering that the NF will not be the sole source of dietary protein, and the composition of the NF and the proposed conditions of use, the consumption of the NF is not nutritionally disadvantageous. The submitted subchronic 90-day toxicity study with the NF as testing material did not raise safety concerns. The Panel considers that the consumption of the NF may induce primary sensitisation and allergic reactions to lesser mealworm proteins and may cause allergic reactions in subjects with allergy to crustaceans and dust mites. Additionally, allergens from the feed may end up in the NF. Allergenicity aside, the Panel concludes that the NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels.

Safety of partially defatted house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder as a novel food pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283

Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on defatted house cricket (Acheta domesticus) powder as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is proposed as dry powder. The main components of the NF are protein, fat and fibre (chitin). The Panel notes that the concentration of contaminants in the NF depends on the occurrence levels of these substances in the insect feed. The Panel further notes that there are no safety concerns regarding the stability of the NF if the NF complies with the proposed specification limits during its entire shelf life. The NF has a high protein content, although the true protein levels are overestimated when using the nitrogen-to-protein conversion factor of 6.25 due to the presence of non-protein nitrogen from chitin. The applicant proposed to use the NF as food ingredient in a number of food products. The target population proposed by the applicant is the general population. The Panel notes that, considering the composition of the NF and the proposed conditions of use, the consumption of the NF is not nutritionally disadvantageous. The Panel notes that no genotoxicity and no subchronic toxicity studies with the NF were provided by the applicant. Considering that no safety concerns arise from the history of use of the source of the NF (A. domesticus), and the limited difference between the whole insect and the partially defatted NF, the Panel identified no other safety concerns than allergenicity. The Panel considers that the consumption of the NF might trigger primary sensitisation to A. domesticus proteins and may cause allergic reactions in subjects allergic to crustaceans, mites and molluscs. Additionally, allergens from the feed may end up in the NF. That aside, the Panel concludes that the NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels.

Detection of Alphitobius diaperinus by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction With a Single-Copy Gene Target

Use of edible insects as an alternative source of proteins in food and feed is increasing. These last years, numerous companies in Europe have started producing insects for food and feed purposes. In the European Union, the use of edible insects for human consumption falls within Regulation (EU) No. 2015/2283 on novel foods. For feed, Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/893 authorizes seven insect species as processed animal proteins for aquaculture. Methods of authentication are required to check the conformity of the products. In this study, we propose a real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method for the specific detection of the lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus), one of the species included in the shortlist of authorized insects. The selected target is the cadherin gene with a single-copy (per haploid genome) illustrated by our experimental evidence. The PCR test amplified a 134-bp fragment of the cadherin gene. The qualitative method was assessed toward several performance criteria. Specificity was checked against 54 insect species next to other animal and plant species. The sensitivity, efficiency, robustness, and transferability of the PCR assay were also successfully tested. Finally, the applicability of the test was assessed on real-life processed samples (industrial meals) of A. diaperinus. The study also showed that there seems to be a huge confusion on the correct labeling of the marketed mealworms. We did not succeed to get Alphitobius laevigatus samples. They all appeared to belong to the A. diaperinus taxon.

Road to The Red Carpet of Edible Crickets through Integration into the Human Food Chain with Biofunctions and Sustainability: A Review

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) estimates that more than 500 million people, especially in Asia and Africa, are suffering from malnutrition. Recently, livestock farming has increased to supply high-quality protein, with consequent impact on the global environment. Alternative food sources with high nutritive values that can substitute livestock demands are urgently required. Recently, edible crickets have been promoted by the FAO to ameliorate the food crisis. In this review, the distribution, nutritive values, health-promoting properties (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic and anti-obesity), safety, allergenicity as well as the potential hazards and risks for human consumption are summarized. Cricket farming may help to realize the United Nations sustainable development goal No. 2 Zero Hunger. The sustainability of cricket farming is also discussed in comparison with other livestock. The findings imply that edible crickets are safe for daily intake as a healthy alternative diet due to their high protein content and health-promoting properties. Appropriate use of edible crickets in the food and nutraceutical industries represents a global business potential. However, people who are allergic to shellfish should pay attention on cricket allergy. Thus, the objective of this review was to present in-depth and up-to-date information on edible crickets to advocate and enhance public perception of cricket-based food.

Exploring the Future of Edible Insects in Europe

The effects of population increase and food production on the environment have prompted various international organizations to focus on the future potential for more environmentally friendly and alternative protein products. One of those alternatives might be edible insects. Entomophagy, the practice of eating insects by humans, is common in some places but has traditionally been shunned in others, such as European countries. The last decade has seen a growing interest from the public and private sectors to the research in the sphere of edible insects, as well as significant steps forward from the legislative perspective. In the EU, edible insects are considered novel foods, therefore a specific request and procedure must be followed to place them in the market; in fact, until now, four requests regarding insects as a novel food have been approved. Insects could also be used as feed for livestock, helping to increase food production without burdening the environment (indirect entomophagy). Market perspectives for the middle of this decade indicate that most of the demand will be from the feed sector (as pet food or livestock feed production). Undoubtedly, this sector is gaining momentum and its potential relies not only in food, but also in feed in the context of a circular economy.

Communicating Food Risk-Benefit Assessments: Edible Insects as Red Meat Replacers

Risk-benefit Assessment (RBA) is an emerging methodology in the area of Food and Nutrition that offers a simultaneous evaluation of both risks and benefits linked to dietary choices. Communication of such research to consumers may present a challenge due to the dual nature of RBA. We present a case study of a communication strategy developed for the NovRBA-project. The NovRBA-project (Novel foods as red meat replacers—an insight using Risk Benefit Assessment methods) performed a risk-benefit assessment to evaluate the overall health impact of substituting red meat (beef) by a novel food (house cricket), considering the microbial, toxicological and nutritional characteristics of the respective dietary choices. A literature review of risk perceptions and acceptance of beef and insects as food formed the basis of the communication strategy for the study's results, drawing on environmental and emotional as well as health-related motivations to consume or avoid either food and considering the sociodemographic characteristics of likely consumers. Challenges and future directions for consumer protection organizations communicating findings of risk-benefit analyses on food safety are discussed.