00:00Edible insects, from traditional food to regulated novel ingredient.
00:06Insects as food are not a new idea.
00:09They are only new to some modern shoppers.
00:12Across parts of Asia, Africa, Latin America and indigenous food traditions, people have
00:17eaten insects for generations.
00:20Mealworms, crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, ants, termites, bee larvae, cicadas, waxworms,
00:27black soldier fly larvae, tropical crickets and lesser mealworms all appear in edible
00:33insect conversations.
00:35Some are roasted.
00:37Some are ground into flour.
00:39Some become protein bars, snacks, oils or animal feed.
00:44But approved as food does not mean every bug is legal everywhere.
00:49Rules depend on the country.
00:51The European Union has authorized only certain insect species and forms as novel foods, including
00:57yellow mealworm, migratory locust, house cricket and lesser mealworm.
01:02Singapore approved a longer list in 2024, including crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms,
01:08silkworms, honeybees and black soldier flies under specific conditions.
01:13The appeal is obvious.
01:16Insects can be protein rich and may need less land, water and feed than some conventional
01:22livestock.
01:24But food safety still matters.
01:27Species identification, farming conditions, allergens, labeling and processing rules cannot
01:32be skipped.
01:33The future of food may include insects.
01:37But it will not be a secret powder conspiracy.
01:40It will be regulated, labeled and chosen.
01:44The ingredient may be tiny, but the approval process should never be invisible.
01:48Black relationship.
01:50Uh, listen, I know.
01:50Bye.
01:50Bye.
01:50Bye.
