The European Union approved the use of large flour beetle larvae for food. Like reports Euronews, so far only one company has been licensed to supply them - the French Agronutris, which until then only raised insects for fish and animal feed.
Mealworms are an alternative source of protein, they are rich in vitamins, minerals, omega fatty acids, scientists say. In addition, insect farming has economic and environmental benefits.
“Now one of the challenges of the insect farming sector is to develop products that are more adapted to the needs of people. Thus, we can expect to see products containing insect meal on the market in the coming months. We will definitely see energy bars, beetle cookies, protein pasta and even insect steaks on the shelves, ”said Cedric Auriol, co-founder of Agronutris.
Today, 11 applications for food use of insects from companies like Agronutris, including those for breeding crickets and grasshoppers, are pending in the EU. Thus, baked goods, pasta and even meat products made from insect protein will soon diversify the diet of Europeans.
Mealworms were already known to ancient authors and are mentioned under the name Tenebrion in Varro's De re rustica. They are characterized by an unfavorable ratio of nutrients and minerals, especially high fat content.
