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

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.