Products: Aldi, Lidl & Co.: These foods contain insects

Berlin
Insects are allowed in food according to the new EU decision. Read here where they can be found everywhere in Germany.

Since the beginning of the year, insects have been allowed to be contained in food sold by Aldi, Lidl and Co
Customers can recognize the products by certain identifiers
But in which products have insects already been processed?

At the end of January, the list of insects that can be sold as food or processed in food in Germany was expanded. According to the new EU law, house crickets (crickets) and larvae of the grain mold beetle, so-called buffalo worms, processed in food.

The locusts and larvae of the flour beetle (yellow mealworm) have been permitted since May 2021. But in what will they insects potentially processed and where have some been in it for a long time?

Aldi, Lidl and Co.: You can recognize insects by these ingredients

According to the EU implementing regulation, house crickets and larvae of the grain mold beetle in frozen, paste-like, dried and powdered form could be used in future in groceries are processed.

A special notice is not required by law. However, the EU has passed certain labeling requirements:

The name of the insect (German and Latin designation) must be listed
What form the insects come in (e.g. powdered, frozen or dried)
In addition, the labeling must contain a warning against allergic reactions

Authorities of the respective EU member states control the implementation of the requirements. Read about this: Insects in food: These indicators at Aldi, Lidl and Co. give it away

But behind which ones? Ingredients are these little animals hiding exactly? “Partially defatted powder” is due to products of the domestic cricket. The designations “Dried larvae/powder from larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus” and “Frozen larvae/paste from larvae of Alphitobius diaperinus” are clearer: grain mold beetles were processed here.

Insects in food: which products can be affected?

The crawling creatures can actually be processed into numerous foods. At which products Consumers can read about insects here:

granola bar
Breakfast cereals and porridge
bread and buns
soups
Pasta like noodles
chips and crackers
peanut butter
meat substitutes
milk substitutes
Chocolate
dietary supplements

Lidl, Aldi and Co.: Which foods already contain insects

What probably only a few consumers know: The use of insects in food production is not new. Scale insects have been boiled and crushed for a number of years to obtain the red dye for numerous foods.

The dye E 120 is also used in the cosmetics industry, for example for lipstick, and also in the textile industry. according to the Comparison portal “Codecheck” is found dye among others in:

Mentos – Chewing Gum Full Fruit
Trolli Sour Fireflies
Müller – Müllermilch cherry banana
m&m’s – Crisp
Ehrmann – Strawberry Orchard

Shellac, noted as E 904 in the list of ingredients, is also made from scale insects, more precisely: the gum lacquer scale insect. It is used as a coating in numerous areas of industry, including as a coating for tablets or as an adhesive. In food production, it is mainly used as a coating for various foods. That’s how it is found according to “code check” in the sweets and products:

Ferrero Children’s Chocolate Bons 200 g
Milka Colorful cocoa beans
Mentos – Pure White, chewing gum

Both substances obtained from the scale insects can trigger allergic reactions, such as “Zusatzstoff-Liste.de” reported . The dye E120 and shellac are often incorporated into vegan and vegetarian products, to the annoyance of many vegans and vegetarians. If you want to avoid eating insects entirely, you should ingredient list Read carefully on products and look for the labels mentioned. (oli)