The approval covers frozen, dried and powder forms of migratory locust. It is intended to be marketed as a snack or as a food ingredient in a number of food products, the agency said.
“The Novel Food Regulation is only about the approval of a product, following a stringent scientific assessment made by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA),” the EC document explained. “
The Authority verifies, in light of the scientific evidence available, that the food does not pose a safety risk to human health.”
The investigation was kicked off by an unnamed food operator, who had requested authorization to put the food product on the market in the European Union.
As part of the authorization, the Commission determined that eating the locusts may potentially lead to allergic reactions, so it has mandated labelling caution.
