Bug Bits Secretly Permitted in 9 Foods

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The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) allows small quantities of bugs and insects in most processed foods due to their protein, healthy fats, calcium, and iron content, and low-calorie levels. According to FDA guidelines:

1. A single cup of coffee can contain around 120 insect parts.
2. Approximately 125 grams of chocolate may contain between 60 to 74 bug parts.
3. A cup of raisins can harbor up to 35 fruit fly eggs and 10 whole insects.
4. A 100 gram jar of peanut butter could contain up to 30 insect parts before being considered contaminated.
5. A 100 gram can of mushrooms may contain around 20 maggots and 75 mites.
6. Frozen broccoli is permitted to have 60 aphids, soft-bodied insects that can grow up to 2-5 millimeters in size.
7. Canned tomatoes may contain more than 10 fly eggs or one maggot.
8. A 250 ml can of fruit juice may contain five fly eggs or one or more maggots.
9. Up to 100 insect fragments are allowed per 25 grams of curry powder.

Insects have been a part of human diets in many regions globally, particularly Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Despite gaining attention as a food source to help address global food security and environmental challenges, they can still make people unfamiliar with them as food, squeamish.

Some insects, including crickets, can be easily grown for the food market due to their ability to be raised vertically, and grown in layers, much like harvesting honey.

This method leaves a smaller carbon footprint by using a fraction of the area needed by traditional farming of sheep and cattle.

Chocolate-Coated Bug Snacks

Sweet-toothed consumers in Australia and New Zealand have been offered chocolate-coated insects.

The Western Australian company Margaret River Chocolate Company, in conjunction with insect producer Grubs Up Australia, started producing a milk-chocolate-covered cluster of roasted crickets and trialled a bar filled with mealworms and crickets.

Company co-founder Martin Black said in a statement that the edible insect market had significant economic potential.

“A report by Australia’s CSIRO forecasts the global edible insect market is expected to reach A$1.4 billion (US$913 million) next year with more than 400 edible-insect-related businesses in operation in Europe and the US,” Mr. Black said.

“Obviously we are not going to stop making any of our delicious tried and tested favourites, but if we can open people’s minds and taste buds to alternatives, that’s all part of the adventure.

“We believe there is huge potential for interesting and delicious chocolate insect combinations that are healthy, environmentally friendly, and a rich source of protein,” he added.

New Zealand’s first and largest edible insect company, Eat Crawlers, also offers products derived from a vast swathe of insects and arachnids including tarantulas, scorpions, and grasshoppers.

Aside from the chocolate offerings, they sell a protein pasta “powered with crickets,” a blueberry scorpion lollipop, and lightly seasoned insects.