Foodstuffs with insects must use legal or common names

Deputies adopted on Wednesday a draft law regulating the preparation and marketing of insect meal food products, following the authorisation of their marketing as new foodstuffs from the European Union. The draft requires economic operators to provide consumers with clear and comprehensive information about food products containing insect meal.

The draft received 170 "for" votes, two "against" and 41 abstentions. Earlier, the draft was supported by MEPs in the Industry and Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee, Agerpres reports.

According to the amendments, economic operators are prohibited from using in Romania newly authorised foodstuffs in the preparation or production of foodstuffs included in the National Register of Traditional Products and the National Register of Consecrated Recipes.

Foodstuffs with insects must use legal or common names containing phrases such as "with..." or "from...", followed by the name of the newly authorised food, regardless of its percentage proportion in the finished product.

The labels of these products must contain information about potential allergic reactions to insects, especially for consumers with allergies to crustaceans and crustacean products and to mites.

In addition, foods containing authorised insect species must be displayed separately in sales areas, separated from established foods not containing such ingredients. The draft also stipulates that information about these products must be presented to consumers at each individual point of sale.

The Chamber of Deputies is the decision-making body in this case.