The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed – Press statement
Brussels, 9th of December
The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF) – the Brussels-based umbrella organisation representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains – is very pleased to communicate about the European Union (EU) Member States authorities’ decision, taken yesterday, to approve the draft implementing regulations aiming to authorise the commercialisation of dried, ground and frozen house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and frozen, dried and powder yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) respectively, for the EU market.
‘The green light given by EU Member States represents another important milestone towards the wider EU commercialisation of edible insects’, points out Christophe Derrien, IPIFF Secretary-General. This decision will lead to the authorisation of these products in the next few weeks.
The approval of the mentioned Acheta domesticus represents a key first step towards the authorisation of additional products derived from this edible insect species. In the case of yellow mealworm, this decision would lead to the second Novel Food authorisation of this insect food product, following one in June 2021. Indeed, Novel Food authorisations are based on individual applications and are thus product specific.
According to the Novel Foods (NF) process, the draft acts will have to be adopted by the European Commission’s College of Commissioners. They result from applications submitted by the Dutch company Fair Insects B.V. (a Protix company) on 28 December 2018.
To know more about edible insects and their opportunities within the Novel Food spectrum, join the IPIFF webinar ‘Challenges and opportunities for the European insect food sector: taking stock of the recent EU regulatory developments in the insect novel foods field’ taking place on 15 December 2021.
For more information on the Novel Food process, please refer to IPIFF’s FAQs on edible insects and to IPIFF’s Briefing Paper on the provisions relevant for the commercialisation of edible insects in the EU
