Mealworms the first insect to be approved in Europe as a human food 

  • IASbaba
  • January 15, 2021
  • 0
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Mealworms the first insect to be approved in Europe as a human food 

Part of: GS Prelims and GS-III – Ecology; Biodiversity

In news 

  • Mealworm has become the first insect to be approved in Europe as a human food.

Key takeaways 

  • The decision by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) paves the way for mealworms to be used whole and dried in curries and other recipes and as a flour to make biscuits, pasta and bread.
  • Rich in protein, fat and fibre, they are likely to be the first of many insects to feature on European’s plates in the coming years.

Important value additions 

  • Mealworms are the larval form of the mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor, a species of darkling beetle. 
  • Despite their name, mealworms are beetle larvae rather than worms.
  • They also go through four life stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult like all holometabolic insects.

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