Edible insects guidance
Guidance for businesses on authorisation of edible insects as novel foods.
Important
From 1 January 2024, food products containing edible insects may only remain on the market in Great Britain (GB) if we received a novel food application for that edible insect species on or before 31 December 2023.
Valid novel food applications were submitted by that date for the following four edible insect species only:
- Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)
- House cricket (Acheta domesticus)
- Banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus)
- Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)
If you sell products containing any other edible insects, you must immediately remove them from the market and make a full application for novel food authorisation. You will be able to place them back on the market in GB, once they have been authorised.
Edible insects as novel foods
There is no evidence for a significant history of consumption of most edible insects in the UK or European Union (EU) before 15 May 1997. That’s why these insects are considered a novel food under assimilated Regulation (EU) 2015/2283.
This means that they need to undergo mandatory pre-market safety assessment and authorisation before they can be legally placed on the market in Great Britain.
Find out more about novel foods in our Novel foods authorisation guidance.
Edible insects in the EU and UK before the EU Exit
All edible insects, except for the German cheese mite and flour mite, were recognised as novel foods in EU novel food regulations in 2015. This introduced the requirement for the products to be authorised before they can be placed on the EU market, which then included the UK.
Transitional measures allowed seven edible insect species to remain on the market in the EU and UK, subject to several specific conditions. Those species were:
- Lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaparinus larvae)
- House cricket (Acheta domesticus)
- Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor)
- Banded or decorated cricket (Gyllodes sigallatus)
- Bird grasshopper / desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria)
- Migratory locust (Locusta migratoria)
- Black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens)
Transitional measures in GB
Transitional measures before 31 December 2023
Regulation 20 of the Food and Feed (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2022 came into force on 31 December 2022. It amended the original EU transitional arrangements and permitted the seven eligible edible insect products listed above to remain on the market in Great Britain until 31 December 2023.
The end of transitional measures for edible insects after 31 December 2023
The GB-specific transitional measures ended on 31 December 2023.
From 1 January 2024 the only species that may remain on the market in GB without pre-market authorisation, until a decision is reached on their novel food application, are those which meet all the following criteria:
- meet the original EU conditions
- are the subject of a current application under the novel foods regulations to either the Food Standards Agency or Food Standards Scotland submitted by 31 December 2023
Transitional measures in Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland (NI), there are similar transitional measures in place for products that were lawfully placed on the market in the EU to remain on the market in Northern Ireland. Until a final decision has been adopted by the EU Commission on any application which meets the requirements under Article 35 (2), Regulation (EU) No. 2015/2283, these products may continue to be placed on the NI market. A list of edible insects that are authorised to be placed on the market in Northern Ireland can be found on the European Commission website.
Since 1 October 2023, the Windsor Framework allows GB standards for public health in relation to food, marketing and organics to apply for pre-packed retail goods moved via the Northern Ireland Retail Movement Scheme (NIRMS). Under the Windsor Framework, foods which have been authorised in Great Britain, can be placed on the market in Northern Ireland if it is eligible for, and moved through, NIRMS.