The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recently determined the use of mealworms as a novel food to be safe. EFSA’s Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods, and Food Allergens formed an opinion on the safety of the novel food to support the European Commission’s (EC’s) decision regarding an application from Ÿnsect Netherlands (formerly Proti-Farm Holding NV) to commercialize mealworms as an ingredient.
EFSA assessed the safety of frozen and freeze-dried mealworms in whole, paste, and powder forms for consumption by the general population. In its application to EC, Ÿnsect proposed to use the novel food as an ingredient in products such as cereal bars, pasta, imitation meats, baked goods, and adult food supplements.