HomeA new law allows the addition of insects to food in the EU. A study shows that more than 2 billion people in the world eat insects. In this way, a solution to a number of problems in the food industry should be found.
"This law allows food manufacturers to include cricket meal in their ingredients. But it does not allow cricket meal manufacturers to offer it to food manufacturers. Still only the farm in Vietnam is allowed to offer cricket meal to European producers so that they can use it in their food products," explained Kremena Dervenkova from the Association of Insect Producers and Processors to Bulgaria ON AIR.
From today we will be eating crickets and beetle larvae without knowing it
The guest added that the composition of the food product should mention that the product includes cricket flour and that it causes an allergic reaction, which is mostly seen in people who already have an allergy to seafood and crustaceans.
"People think of insects as pests. In fact, they're one of the most complete sources of protein. They're high in healthy fats, fiber, vitamin B12, more iron than spinach and more calcium than milk. They can be very tasty, depending on how you eat them." are being prepared. I have tried another 14 types of edible insects, there are over 2,000 in the whole world," said Dervenkova.
She pointed out that 70% of the population in Bulgaria has an intolerance to milk proteins and it is normal to expect that a certain part will not have tolerance to other types of proteins.
"This product is very carefully studied. 100 grams of flour contains between 60 and 70% grams of pure protein," noted Kremena Dervenkova.
Nadia Kitanova from the Association of Insect Producers and Processors explained how crickets are processed: they are left without food for 24 hours, then frozen at low temperatures, boiled for about 5 minutes, dried for 3-4 hours at 100-120 degrees.
20 grams of cricket meal is a recommended daily allowance for protein intake.
"One of the pluses is the resources needed to raise 1 kg of edible insects. 1.5 kg of food is needed. For cattle, the ratio is 10 to 1, for pigs - 6 to 1, for fish - 4 to 1. There is no carbon release dioxide, the food could also be suitable for people who don't approve of killing animals for food. They don't feel pain like vertebrates do," Kitanova emphasized.
"Not only crickets, we are talking about beetles, worms... 8 more types of insects, not included in food until now", commented nutritionist Prof. Donka Baikova on the air of "Bulgaria morning".
She recognized the advantages of this new type of food: good composition, rich in protein, enabling the population to live (quick production on small areas).
The population of the globe is expected to increase a lot, and this means looking for new food sources, while agricultural land and water resources will remain the same, it was clear from her words.
Prof. Baikova, however, emphasized the danger of allergies that could be triggered.
According to her, a boom in autoimmune diseases is expected.
"Our immune system overreacts to new food components. It would take a long time to build enzymes to break down these proteins. It's a long biogenetic pathway. It's going to be cheaper foods, they're going to put them in bread, pasta mixes, dairy substitutes," the nutritionist pointed out and admitted that he has reservations about adding insects to foods.
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