In February 2025, reports circulated on social media about a new European law that would allow manufacturers to add powder made from beetleworm larvae to foods. We decided to check if this is actually true.
On February 12, the speaker of the State Duma of the Russian Federation, Vyacheslav Volodin, announced the law that came into force in the European Union in his Telegram channel. “You can now add ground insects to bread, cheese, jam and pasta. As arguments in favor of such a decision, European politicians say that the worm supplement is an alternative source of protein,” wrote the speaker of the State Duma. Volodin also stated: “In fact, [this law] is a consequence of the Western sanctions policy towards our country, which resulted in the collapse of the economy in Europe, the closure of production and serious problems in the agricultural industry.” At the time of writing this analysis Volodin's post received 1.3 million views.
Even earlier, other Telegram channels wrote about this. February 4 channel Zergulio (122,000 views) reported that from February 10, the European Commission is expanding the list of insects allowed for consumption. Following this, other channels wrote about the “voluntary-forced” consumption of insects by Europeans, including “Solovyov"(268,000), "Bocharik (yep, that same one)"(223,000), "Uncle Slava"(187,000), "Putin on Telegram"(183,000), "Heavenly" (128,000) and "KB. Economy"(149,000).
On 20 January 2025, the Official Journal of the European Union published published a document that actually mentions mealworms. In it, the European Commission decides to allow the sale of ultraviolet-treated powder from whole Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm) larvae as a food product.
This technique - ultraviolet treatment of powder from larvae - was registered by the company Nutri'Earth, which specializes in the production vitamin D3 (aka cholecalciferol), which promotes the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the body. The application was submitted back in 2019, then, as follows from the document, the European Food Safety Authority conducted an examination of the powder and the methodology itself. As a result, the authors of the application received a positive assessment.
According to the European Commission document, Nutri'Earth has the right to use UV-treated powder from whole Tenebrio molitor larvae in bread and rolls, cakes, pasta, processed potato products, cheese and cheese products, and fruit and vegetable compotes. The conditions for mandatory labeling are also defined. First, products will be required to indicate that the product contains vitamin D obtained through ultraviolet treatment. Secondly, the company will have to inform customers that the product contains maggot powder - this is necessary for those who have food allergies to animal protein or crustaceans. The final part of the document states that ultraviolet-treated powder obtained from whole Tenebrio molitor larvae should be included in the EU list of new foods.
In general, the posts in Telegram channels correspond to reality, but there are significant inaccuracies in them - and especially in Volodin’s statement.
First, there is nothing new about using mealworms in food. European Commission as early as June 1, 2021 allowed use dried Tenebrio molitor larvae as food. The document, dated January 20, 2025, talks about the same mealworms, but treated with ultraviolet light.
Secondly, the document does not talk about the widespread or voluntary-compulsory introduction of a new food product. A French company specializing in dietary supplements has a monopoly on its production.
Thirdly, Volodin’s words about the EU’s introduction of insect additives as the inevitable consequences of the West’s sanctions policy against Russia look like an anachronism. Mealworms were allowed to be used as a food product even before 2022 and the introduction of most of the current sanctions against Russia.
In addition, products containing insects are also used in Russia. In the fall of 2022, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation Denis Manturov at the Innofood exhibition praised producers of burgers with a cutlet consisting of vegetable proteins with the addition of a concentrate of black soldier fly larvae, and said that Russia is keeping up with the times.
Released October 10, 2023 order of the Russian government on the inclusion of several items in the list of agricultural products, including flour from the black soldier fly and chilled puree from the larvae of the same fly. That same year, Russian media reportedthat the production of cricket flour is being established in Russia.
Thus, the European Commission has indeed approved the use of mealworm powder. However, we are talking about a specific method of processing the powder, and the consumption of insects themselves as food was allowed in the European Union several years ago. In addition, contrary to the statements of the State Duma speaker, this has nothing to do with the sanctions against Russia introduced in 2022.
Cover photo: Wikimedia Commons/Pengo
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