Acheta domesticus (house cricket) partially defatted powder: authorised novel food in the EU

Conditions of use and maximum levels

Table 1, column "Conditions under which the novel food may be used", as written:

• Multigrain bread and rolls; crackers and breadsticks: 2
• Cereal bars: 3
• Pre-mixes for baked products (dry): 3
• Biscuits: 1,5
• Pasta-based products (dry): 0,25
• Stuffed pasta-based products (dry): 3
• Sauces: 1
• Processed potato products, legume- and vegetable-based dishes, pizza, pasta-based dishes: 1
• Whey powder: 3
• Meat analogues: 5
• Soups and soup concentrates or powders: 1
• Maize flour based snacks: 4
• Beer-like beverages: 0,1
• Chocolate confectionary: 2
• Nuts and oilseeds: 2
• Snacks other than chips: 5
• Meat preparations: 2

Additional specific labelling requirements

1. The designation of the novel food on the labelling of the foodstuffs containing it shall be ‘Acheta domesticus (house cricket) partially defatted powder’. 2. The labelling of the foodstuffs containing Acheta domesticus (house cricket) partially defatted powder shall bear a statement that this ingredient may cause allergic reactions to consumers with known allergies to crustaceans, molluscs, and products thereof, and to dust mites. This statement shall appear in close proximity to the list of ingredients.

Specification (Table 2)

Table 2 of the Annex, row with the same name, as written:

Description/Definition:

The novel food is partially defatted powder obtained from whole Acheta domesticus (house cricket) following a series of steps involving a 24 hours fasting period of the insects to allow them to discard their bowel content, the sacrifice of the insects by freezing, washing, thermal processing, drying, oil extraction (mechanical extrusion), and grinding.

Characteristics/Composition:

Crude protein (N x 6,25) (% w/w): 74,0 - 78,0

Fat (% w/w): 9,0 - 12,0

Moisture (% w/w): 3,0 - 6,0

Crude fibre (% w/w): 8,0 - 10,0

Chitin (22) (% w/w): 4,0-8,5

Ash (% w/w): ≤ 5,6

Peroxide value (Meq O2/kg fat): ≤ 5,0

Manganese: ≤ 100,0 mg/kg

Cyanide: ≤ 5,0 mg/kg

Heavy metals:

Lead: ≤ 0,1 mg/kg

Cadmium: ≤ 0,025 mg/kg

Mycotoxins:

Aflatoxins (Sum of B1, B2, G1, G2): ≤ 0,4 μg/kg

Deoxynivalenol: ≤ 200,0 μg/kg

Ochratoxin A: ≤ 1,0 μg/kg

Dioxins and dioxin like PCBs:

Sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs UB, ( (23)WHO2005 PCDD/F-PCB-TEF): ≤ 1,25 pg/g fat

Microbiological criteria:

Total aerobic microbial count: ≤ 105 CFU/g

Yeasts and moulds: ≤ 100 CFU/g

Escherichia coli: ≤ 50 CFU/g

Salmonella spp.: Not detected in 25 g

Listeria monocytogenes: Not detected in 25 g

Bacillus cereus (presumptive): ≤ 100 CFU/g

Enterobacteriaceae (presumptive): < 100 CFU/g

Coagulase-positive staphylococci: ≤ 100 CFU/g

Source and version

Implementing Regulation (EU) 2017/2470, Annex, Union list of novel foods, Table 1. Consolidated text of 10 August 2026. The text above is copied from that document without change except that amendment markers are removed. It is not advice and it does not decide whether a particular product is covered.

• Consolidated text on EUR-Lex

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