The larva is served and the French company Ynsect rejoices
After the migratory locust, the yellow mealworm and the cricket flour, from 26 January the larva of the lesser mealworm will also be able to make its debut in dishes, which will be marketed by the French company Ynsect. All the details
The fourth table bug is served. In fact, from 26 January the larva of the lesser mealworm ( Alphitobius diaperinus ) frozen, in paste, dried and in powder form can be marketed in EU countries as a novel food.
The approval by the European Commission follows those for migratory locust, yellow mealworm and cricket meal .
The company authorized to place the larva of the lesser mealworm on the European market is the French company Ynsect.
THE BUREAUCRATIC PROCESS FOR THE AUTHORIZATION
Following the request of the company Ynsect NL BV of 7 January 2018 to the European Commission to evaluate the authorization for the placing on the EU market of the larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus (minor mealworm) frozen, paste, dried and powdered as new food, on 26 April 2022 the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) gave its go-ahead and on 5 January the Implementing Regulation 2023/58 of the EU Commission arrived.
HOW LARVAE ARE MADE
The worms, says Ynsect, are 72 percent high-quality protein and contain nutrients essential to human, animal and plant health, such as omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins. Processed into flour, they can be used as protein-rich ingredients for human food in various forms.
The EU Commission said the entire minor mealworm is intended for human consumption and none of its parts are removed. Before killing by heat treatment, a minimum period of 24 hours of fasting is necessary to allow the intestinal emptying of the larvae.
IN WHICH FOODS THEY MAY BE PRESENT
The larvae, in certain quantities indicated by the Regulation, may be present in many foods: cereal bars, bread and rolls, processed and breakfast cereals, porridge, premixes (dry) for bakery products, dry pasta products, filled pasta products, whey powder, soups, cereal or pasta dishes, pizza dishes, noodles, snack foods other than potato chips, potato chips/crisps, crackers and bread sticks, peanut butter, Ready-to-eat savory sandwiches, meat preparations, meat substitute products, substitute products for milk and dairy products, chocolate-based products, food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC intended for the adult population.
WHAT YNSECT DOES
Ynsect, founded by a group of scientists and environmentalists in Paris in 2011, is currently the only company authorized for a period of five years to place lesser mealworm larvae on the EU market, unless a subsequent applicant obtains an authorization for the same food.
It has several offices in France and defines itself as a “world leader in the production of natural insect-based fertilizers and proteins”. Transform insects into high-value ingredients for pets, fish, plants and humans.
Ynsect operates two manufacturing sites, one in Dole, France (commissioned 2016), one in the Netherlands (2017), and a third, the world's largest vertical farm, in Amiens, France, is currently under construction.
The company, according to their website, employs 250 people and has raised about 425 million dollars from major global investment funds, banks and public bodies and exports its products all over the world.
YNSECT'S FORECASTS ON THE MARKET MARKET
Ynsect says that by 2050, we will need to increase global food production by more than 70% to meet the needs of the entire population. And that with only 5% more agricultural land.
Considering that today farm animals consume 20% of the world's proteins, in direct competition with human consumption, while fish, water and soil resources are reduced, even FAO has declared that insects could be one of the solutions.
For this reason, the company claims that unlike traditional animal feed, insect production has many advantages: it requires 100 times less agricultural land for about 900 grams of protein compared to 900 grams of animal protein, consumes 25 % less water and does not use antibiotics.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/sanita/la-larva-e-servita-e-lazienda-francese-ynsect-gongola/ on Thu, 19 Jan 2023 13:33:20 +0000.