Food producers may now process house crickets into pasta, bread and more

As of this week, food producers may process house crickets into pasta, bread, sauces and snacks, among other things. And that is, to put it mildly, quite remarkable. Eating house crickets is not without risks, and the allergenicity of house crickets should, according to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), be investigated further.

Of course, if you go to Cambodia—the food hype of the moment—you know that deep-fried tarantulas are sold as snacks at the market. In Singapore (also such a top destination for foodies!), I saw insects on a stick—I passed. But closer to home, at Lidl, crunchy mealworms have also appeared on the shelves during the special Future Goods weeks.

Insects have long been regarded as a nutritious and healthy food source full of protein, as well as part of the transition towards a more climate-friendly and plant-based food system. Earlier this month, the use of small mealworms was also approved. These may be used as (spreadable) paste, frozen, dried and powdered.

House cricket powder

Crickets processed into all kinds of food, such as bread, pizza, pasta, crackers, biscuits, soups, processed potato products and chocolate products, are now permitted. Specifically, this concerns partially defatted powder obtained from Acheta domesticus (in other words: the house cricket). Before the insects are frozen to death at -18 degrees Celsius, they must first fast for 24 hours to empty their digestive tracts.

Allergic reaction

Still, eating house crickets is not without risks. According to the EFSA, consuming partially defatted house cricket powder may cause reactions in people who are allergic to shellfish and dust mites. And there are quite a lot of them. That is why the EFSA recommends further investigating the allergenicity of house crickets.

Plant-based proteins

Isn’t it strange, then, that this product is already entering the market without this having been investigated further? Quite apart from the fact that some people are horrified by the idea of eating insects, there are currently plenty of animal- and plant-based proteins available (think nuts and seeds, beans, tofu and tempeh). And what about vegans? Will they eat pasta made with house cricket powder?

Let’s hope that the ingredients of the products in question containing defatted house cricket powder will be clearly listed on the packaging labels, so everyone can make a safe and desirable choice.

Read also:

• How does a supermarket recall actually come about?
• Raw vegetables? Don’t eat these if you want to stay reasonably healthy
• Refreezing food: yes or no?