The European Union has approved the addition of UV-treated mealworm powder as an ingredient in various food products like bread, cheese and pasta dishes. The limit has been set at 4% provided the mealworm larvae are UV-treated. The mealworm is the larvae of the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor.
The European Food Safety Authority has labelled the UV-treated mealworm powder as ‘safe’ for consumption, under specified conditions and levels of use. However, people with shellfish allergies have been advised to avoid the be careful while consuming it for potential cross-reactivity.
🚨🇪🇺EU SAYS YES TO WORM-BAKED GOODIES
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) February 4, 2025
Get ready, Europe! From February 10, your bread could get a bit more… buggy.
Thanks to a new regulation, you can now have up to 4% UV-treated mealworm powder in your daily eats – we're talking bread, cheese, and even your pasta.
This… pic.twitter.com/11MmeLBvzA
The EU has been promoting insect-derived food as novel food sources, Earlier approvals of the EU include migratory locust meal, lesser mealworms, yellow mealworm larvae and house crickets too.
