Forecasts point out an exponential growth in the global population,
which raises concerns over the ability of the current agri-food
production systems to meet food demand in the long term. Such a prospect
has led international organizations and the scientific community to
raise awareness about, and call for, the need to identify additional
sources of food to feed the world. From this perspective, insects
qualify as a suitable and more environmentally friendly alternative to
meat and other foods that are sourced from animal proteins. However,
uptake of the production and commercialization of insects as food has
been facing regulatory hurdles, consumer skepticism and rejection in
many markets. This is particularly true in the context of western
societies in which insects do not always constitute part of the local
traditional diets.
Production and Commercialization of Insects as Food and Feed:
identification of the Main Constraints in the European Union analyses
and discusses the regulatory state-of-the-art for the production and
commercialization of insects as food and feed in the European Union. The
EU has been taking concrete legislative steps with a view to opening up
its market for insect foods, although some key regulatory constraints
still exist today which ultimately prevent the industry sector from
growing, consolidating and thriving. The main regulatory constraints in
the EU for insects as food include the fragmentation of the EU market as
a result of the adoption of different policy solutions by EU Member
States for novel foods and the lengthy and complex authorization
procedures. Also, ad hoc safety and quality requirements tailored to the
needs and specificities of the insect food sector are currently missing.
This work constitutes the first comprehensive overview of the evolution
and current state-of-the-art of the regulatory framework for insect
foods in the EU, based on a multidisciplinary approach that combines
science, policy and law. It proposes a legislative roadmap which the EU
should follow in order to make its regulatory framework fit for insect
foods in the long term by providing a detailed comparison between the
current EU legal framework and other regulatory systems of western
countries with a view to singling out the markets which are better
equipped to address the production and the commercialization of insect
foods. The text provides an updated overview of the overall market and
of European consumers' perspectives on the use of insect foods. With the
proper legislative steps and consolidation, the EU can be a global
leader for insects as food and feed both as a market and as a
standard-setting body.
