Insects could be legally for sale in Swiss supermarkets starting next year after the federal food safety and veterinary office (BLV) proposed the commercialization of three species.
The BLV on Monday backed the sale of crickets, grasshoppers and meal worms as part of a planned revision of Switzerland’s law governing foodstuff, the ATS news agency reported. A consultation period on the proposal runs until October.
The BLV has limited the kind of approved insects to the three best known types. They are already authorized in small-scale pilot trials, such as during museum nights.
Last year the federal government had promised an opening up of insect sales after Green Liberal MP Isabelle Chevalley, from the canton of Vaud, organized a tasting event for fellow parliamentarians with food made from insects.
The menu included burgers made from a base of mealworms, rissoles made with crickets, small chocolate biscuits made from grasshopper and lemon cake made from meal worms.
The feedback was largely positive.
In the European Union, edible insects have not been officially recognized, although stores in some EU countries, such as Holland and Belgium have been selling them.
bbabo.Net