The International Platform of Insects for Food and Feed (IPIFF), the organization representing stakeholders active across the insect production value chains, announced that the European Union member states authorities decided to approve the draft implementing regulation aiming to authorize the commercialization of frozen and dried migratory locust on the EU market. 

The decision follows the opinion from the European Food Safety Authority on the safety of frozen and dried formulations from migratory locust (Locusta migratoria) as a novel food pursuant to regulation. This authorization is valid for the use of migratory locust for human consumption. 

The decision represents another important step towards the wider commercialization of edible insects in the EU. According to the Novel Foods process, the draft bill will still have to be adopted by the European Commission's College of Commissioners. This formal step can be expected to be taken in the next weeks. The draft implementing regulation results from an application submitted by the Dutch company Fair Insects B.V., a Protix company, back in December 2018.

Potential use in animal feeds

“In the European Union, migratory locust (ML), in whole dried form and as processed animal protein, may already be used as feed for non-farmed animals (e.g. pet food, fur and zoo animals) while fat/oil derived from ML may already be used as feed for farmed and non-farmed animals,” said to Aquafeed.com Christophe Derrien, secretary general at IPIFF.

The European Commission recently authorized the use of processed animal proteins derived from insects in poultry and pig feed, following the authorization in fish feeds. Silkworm meal is also expected to be approved for aquafeeds by the end of 2021.