Mealworms declared safe to eat but Iain's question for one insect eater is simply 'why?'
13 January 2021, 20:58 | Updated: 13 January 2021, 21:06
'People are up for exploring new things...'
When this guest told Iain Dale that he enjoys eating insects and they are good for you the LBC host had just one question, "WHY?"
After the European Union’s food safety agency ruled yellow mealworms were fit for dinner plates, LBC spoke to an expert.
The EU agency wants to allow mealworms to be used whole in recipes and ground into a flour to make biscuits, pasta and bread.
Following the decision, Iain Dale spoke to a regular insect eater.
When Ian asked the guest if he was unique Tim chuckled and said he wasn't, he said there were "hundreds of thousands of people out there happy to eat insects."
Iain's next question was probably one on the mind of many LBC listeners, "why?"
Tim Boote the founder of Protein Rebel - a protein powder business which uses powdered crickets replied he thought people were "looking for something new and interesting."
He said edible insects were a real superfood and good for you nutritionally.
Revealing to LBC "inspects have twice as much protein than beef," he said insects were "good for you."
"But don't they taste disgusting?" Iain asked the insect eater.
On the taste, he said they were "mild" and "nutty" but when it comes to serving a suggestion was chocolate and hazelnut to accompany the insects.
'You should eat crickets with chocolate...'
Ermolaos Ververis, a scientific officer at the EU agency said: “This first EFSA risk assessment of an insect as novel food can pave the way for the first EU-wide approval. Our risk evaluation is a decisive and necessary step in the regulation of novel foods by supporting policymakers in the EU in making science-based decisions and ensuring the safety of consumers.”
