A European Union nutrition panel has affirmed the safety of snacking on yellow mealworms, saying the protein-rich creepy crawlies do not appear to pack an alarming level of toxicity.
The European Safety Authority laid down the judgement on the insects in a 29-page scientific opinion adopted in November and published Wednesday.
The panel noted that the worms may produce allergic reactions in some people. Still, it endorsed the food for consumption both in whole-form and as an ingredient, saying in the opinion that yellow mealworms are “safe under the proposed uses and use levels.”
Mealworms have tubelike bodies and a mild taste that has been compared to pumpkin seeds. The decision could clear the runway for approval of new insect-flecked snacks in Europe.
