Insect production for feed, food and technical applications: Current status and legal framework

Insects are recently gaining popularity as food and feed ingredients in Western countries. This chapter is written with the objective to provide an impression of applicable European (and to some extent North American) legislation to people involved in the insect business. It provides information regarding legislative frameworks concerning the following aspects: (1) insect production including feed for insects, rearing, processing, and animal welfare; (2) applications of insect products including whole insects, proteins, fats, chitin derivatives and frass. Moreover, this chapter also provides recent information about regulatory developments expected in the near future and some challenges that need attention from regulators. Finally, it shows that transparency in the national and international legislative framework will be critical for the future of insect farming and use of insect products in feed, food, and technical applications