EU clears way for insects to be sold as food

Insects have long been a staple food in Asia. In Europe, not so much. But diets are changing, with ever more people trying to avoid meat – for health or moral reasons, or because raising farm animals is less and less sustainable.
Now, the European Commission has officially declared mealworms to be food. It’s a game changer for insect farmers, many of whom have so far operated under temporary license.

Insects are rich in protein: Up to 70 percent of their entire mass is protein. In addition to that, they're also rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids, like fish. Some insects, especially the mealworm, have over 14 percent of fatty acids – that's seven times as much as fish.