After the authorization to place on the market for food purposes whole larvae of Tenebrio molitor in dried, frozen or powdered form, the European Commission approved the marketing of the same species (yellow mealworm) treated with UV rays, establishing that only the French company "Nutri'Earth" is authorized to do so, unless the company itself consents or authorizes a third party.
Pending the entry into force of the relevant provision, it should be remembered that in Italy, in the Official Journal no. 302 of 29 December 2023, four Ministerial Decrees dated 6 April 2023 were published, which regulate the consumption and labelling of four types of food intended for human consumption, prepared and obtained through the use of:
Partially defatted powder of Acheta domesticus (house cricket) or frozen, dried and powdered Acheta domesticus (23A07040);
Tenebrio molitor larva (yellow mealworm), frozen, dried or powdered (23A07041);
migratory locust, dried, frozen or powdered (23A07042);
Alphitobius diaperinus (lesser mealworm) larvae, frozen, paste, dried and powdered (23A07043) i.e. foods containing all four EU authorised insects.
These decrees do not provide for limits on use, provided that the label of the relevant products explicitly indicates them.