Novel Food

News update:

A recent EU court ruling on the interpretation of the OLD Novel Food Regulation No 258/97, concluded that the correct interpretation of this regulation excludes whole insects.

Dixit novel food team Belgium (Isabelle Laquiere – Jean Pottier) – FPS public health:

“Due to a recent court ruling on (Case C 526/19 of 1 October 2020), the Belgian tolerance policy must be reconsidered. The FAQ and the document on the Belgian tolerance policy will be adapted in function of this analysis.

This ruling does not change the fact that insects are considered novel food under the current novel food legislation (Regulation (EU) 2015/2283) and therefore require authorization, but the ruling now provides legal certainty that whole insects are NOT in the scope of the old novel food legislation (Regulation 258/97). To what extent this ruling influences the Belgian tolerance policy in its current form will be studied by the FPS Public Health in close collaboration with the FASFC.”

The ruling can be found here.

It means that the point of view of the BiiF in 2013 to keep the Belgian market open for foodstuff containing whole (processed) insects, is confirmed more than 7 years later by this court ruling on the 1^st of October 2020.

BiiF keeps working on the strategy to open the EU market for insects.

We can only do this with your help!

In 2015, the European Commission labeled edible insects as Novel Food. This meant that if insect breeders, processors and traders want to sell insects in Europe, they must apply for authorization from the EFSA. The BiiF members have joined forces and have now submitted three dossiers.

As soon as approval is given for a certain insect, products may be sold with these animals in it. Applications are made for the entire insect, but also other options such as powders, pastes, burgers and shakes.

Acheta domesticus – house cricket

The list of partners, containing interested and concerned parties, represented by the BiiF are:

Nico Coen [BE]: workgroup manager, in collaboration with following European companies:

Tenebrio molitor – mealworm

The list of partners, containing interested and concerned parties, represented by the BiiF are:

Sophie Goffard [BE]: workgroup manager, in collaboration with following European companies:

Locusta migratoria – migratory locust, grasshopper

The list of partners, containing interested and concerned parties, represented by the BiiF are:

Ger van der Wal [NL] : workgroup manager, in collaboration with following European companies: