European insect producers highlights a major decision allowing wider use of insects

The EU Member States representatives endorsed a European Commission proposal which was discussed today in a meeting of the EU Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SCoPAFF). The text is expected to be formally adopted during the spring 2017, which means that insect proteins should be effectively authorized for use in fish feed as from 1st July 2017.
 
Reacting to Member States’ vote, IPIFF President Antoine Hubert said ‘we are particularly pleased with the move made by EU institutions: the opening of this legislation is in our view a major milestone towards the development of the European insect production sector’.
 
IPIFF Vice President Tarique Arsiwalla recalled the recent opinion from the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) dated from 8 October 2015, which concluded that insects fed with plant based materials entail no risks if insect producers comply with best hygiene practices. ‘This is precisely the case of the IPIFF members, who comply with very stringent risk management procedures, in accordance with the EU food and feed safety legislations’, explained Arsiwalla.  
 
Looking ahead, IPIFF expressed the will to pursue efforts towards a possible authorisation of insect proteins to other non-ruminant species (e.g. pig & poultry) or to allow to use other ‘high grade’ materials to feed their insects. ‘We will plead for further relaxation of EU rules, in case safety conditions associated with these new routes have been demonstrated’ explained Hubert.
 
‘In the long run, these changes should contribute to alleviate European dependency on protein imports, whilst securing a promising source of protein for EU farmers & customers’ concluded the IPIFF Chair.