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.
