The Europian Union will soon see insects being sold and marketed as ‘officially approved’ food. The Europian Commission has recently allowed some specific kinds of insects to be sold as food and food ingredients.
Sharing the news that the ‘house cricket’, yellow mealworm and ‘migratory locusts’ can now be used in food and food ingredient throughout the EU, the Europian Commission announced that they have been categorised as ‘novel food’. The Europian Commission then shared a long thread of tweets to convince people that eating these insects is ‘safe’ because they contain high protein, fibres and vitamins.
It also added that eating insects is ‘good for the environment’ because there is less greenhouse gas emission, less use of water and arable lands and less food waste when crickets, worms and locusts are consumed by the population.
However, many Europeans seem unhappy about the decision.
As per reports, the EU Commission had added migratory locusts to the list back in November 2021, saying that locusts, along with yellow mealworms, can be consumed as food. In February, there were reports that the EU might soon add a third insect, the house cricket, to the list too. It has finally been realised.
The European Commission which provides the approval had stated then that these insects can be sold, and marketed as snacks or food ingredients either in dried or frozen form with legs removed or in a powder form.
Pakistan minister had asked people to eat locust biriyani
In 2019 when large swarms of locusts were attacking crops in Pakistan, a minister of agriculture in Sindh province had asked people to start eating them. Ismail Rahu had suggested citizens of Karachi take advantage of the locusts by preparing delicious dishes such as biryani, Kadhai and barbecue. He said that the citizens should rather add these free-flying proteins to their biryanis, Kadhais and BBQs instead of getting scared of them.
In a video clip, the Sindh minister of agriculture was heard saying: “They have come all the way here so the residents should eat them.”
It is notable here that as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war, a rough heat wave and the energy crisis created by Europe’s own sanctions against Russia, the region is currently facing a steep price rise in essential items and services like heating and electricity supply.