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Written question asked by Joe Robertson (Conservative) on Friday, 21 February 2025, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 25 February 2025. It was answered by Daniel Zeichner (Labour) on Thursday, 27 March 2025 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Food: Insects

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, whether his Department has a policy on the introduction of insects into the human diet.

Answer

Defra does not have a specific policy on insects in the human diet, but continues to monitor the research in this area. In Great Britain, edible insects are considered novel foods. Novel foods require authorisation before they are permitted on the market. As part of the transition in leaving the EU, the following products can continue to be sold whilst they go through the British novel foods authorisation process run by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS):

  • Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)
  • House cricket (Acheta domesticus)
  • Banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus)
  • Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)

Where the above are present, they would need to be included in labelling just like any other ingredient. No other insects can currently be sold for human consumption in Britain at present.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
32582
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Food Insects
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk