The health ministry said Wednesday that no insects have been authorised for human consumption in Italy so far. The ministry released a circular letter to clarify things after new European legislation came into force on January 1 regulating novel food - food not widely consumed previously, such as insects.
The ministry said that the new regulation does not mean it will be immediately possible to find insects for human consumption on the market.
"The authorization of a novel food must be requested from the European Commission, following EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) guidelines," the ministry said.
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