EU – Migratory Locust: The Second Insect Approved for Human Consumption

The migratory locust ("locusta migratoria") has been green-lighted for official entry into the EU food market as of November 2021, making it the second insect to be included in the European Commission's list of authorized novel foods, after dried yellow mealworms, which were approved in July, 2021 (should you wish to expand on this topic, please follow the link to our previous insight: EU – Green Light on First Insects as Novel Food).

In order to be authorized for sale across the European Member States, novel foods require approval on a case-by-case basis, to ensure that such foods are safe and not dangerous for human consumption. Therefore, the authorization at hand follows EFSA's mandatory evaluation.

In fact, EFSA's report highlights that the consumption of the migratory locust is not nutritionally disadvantageous and does not raise any safety concerns for human beings. However, EFSA also concluded that the consumption of the migratory locust may potentially lead to certain allergic reactions.

In particular, this may be the case for people with pre-existing allergies to crustaceans, dust mites and molluscs or to the locusts' feed. Therefore, the marketing of migratory locusts is subject to specific labelling requirements regarding allergens.

The entry of the migratory locust in the EU food market represents a further step towards the accomplishment of the European Commission's farm-to-fork-strategy, which aims to support the consumption of alternative protein sources, in order to achieve a more sustainable food system.