Dried mealworms could appear on supermarket shelves and in restaurants across Europe | World News

The European Union has approved the use of protein-rich beetle larvae as a snack or ingredient – as a new, environmentally friendly food product.
Dried mealworms could soon be appearing on supermarket shelves and in restaurants across Europe.
The 27-nation European Union on Tuesday approved a proposal to market mealworm larvae as a “novel food”.
This comes after the European Union Food Safety Authority published scientific opinions earlier this year that the products were safe to eat.
They are the first insects approved for human consumption by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Researchers say the worms can serve as a protein-rich snack or ingredient in other dishes, whether eaten whole or ground up.
Not only are they rich in protein, but also in fat and fibre, and could well be the first of many insects to grace European tables in the coming years.
Although the market for insects as food is very small, EU officials argue that growing insects for food could benefit the environment.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations calls insects “a healthy and nutritious food source, rich in fats, proteins, vitamins, fibre and minerals.”
A regulation allowing the consumption of dried mealworms is set to be introduced in the coming weeks after it was approved by EU countries on Tuesday.
However, researchers say that while mealworms can be used to make biscuits, pasta and curries, their “gross” factor may put off consumers.
The European Commission also warned that people with allergies to crustaceans and dust mites could experience allergic reactions when eating mealworms.