FOOD AND HEALTH ESSENTIALS

EU Commission clarifies the use of insect-based proteins

The Commission of the European Union (EU) has issued a regulation intended to clarify the use of insect-based proteins in certain animal feeds.

Insect-based proteins constitute a major potential source of alternative proteins. However, legislation in the EU intended to ensure the quality and safety of animal feed had led to the inadvertent restriction in the use of insects as a processed protein in animals feed products. 

Published in May in the Official Journal of the European Union, the new Regulation, (EU) 2017/893, modifies Annex IV of the EU’s Regulation 999/2001 to clearly permit the use of inspect-based proteins in fish feed as of July 1st.

Regulatory experts expect that future action by the EU Commission will eventually extend the permitted use of insect-based proteins to other types of animal feed products.