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Four species of insects are currently approved as food in the EU. Conspiracy circles see this as an attempted re-education of citizens by the “elites” – and are spreading all sorts of disinformation.
“Chitinase – The Great Danger of Eating Insects”: This title is used to distribute a video on YouTube, among other things, in which the supposed dangers of eating insects (entomophagy) are discussed. Not only is there the possibility that this could trigger illnesses; The state is also trying to make people dependent. Eating insects is “dictated” from above and should replace foods such as meat, vegetables and fruit.
The video is part of a series of conspiracy stories about insects as food, says Miro Dittrich from the Center for Monitoring, Analysis and Strategy (CeMAS). “It has been very popular in the conspiracy ideology scene for at least a decade.” The conspiracy ideology worldview looks like this: There is a secret elite that makes plans for the future in which people own nothing and only eat insects. “This conspiracy narrative demonizes the political enemy,” says Dittrich.
Four species of insects approved as food
In recent years, the topic has gained momentum again, says Dittrich. Four species of insects are now approved as food in the EU. The dried mealworm was the first to receive approval in May 2021. This was followed by the migratory locust, the buffalo worm and the house cricket, for which partially degreased powder is also permitted.
Contrary to what is often claimed in conspiracy ideological circles, insects are scientifically examined and evaluated by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) before they are approved as food. Because insects are among the so-called “novel foods”. This includes those foods that were not consumed in large quantities in the EU before May 1997.
“There is no known harm from eating insects, on the contrary,” says Andreas Vilcinskas, professor at the Institute for Insect Biotechnology at the Justus Liebig University in Giessen. For example, the protein from insects is very beneficial to health. Also the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). refers to various studies that demonstrate the health benefits of entomophagy. In addition to the high-quality proteins, insects also contain fiber and micronutrients such as iron, magnesium and zinc. In Asia, among other places, insects are used for consumption and are a normal part of the food supply.
Chitin none Health risk
In conspiracy ideology circles, on the other hand, reference is often made to supposed health risks from eating insects. A common argument is that chitin, which is part of the shell of insects – including crustaceans – can cause diseases. But this is wrong for various reasons, says Vilcinskas.
Contrary to what is claimed, insects are not simply used as a whole for the food industry. “These are not shredded insects,” says Vilcinskas. “As a rule, you want the fats and proteins to be separate. They are therefore separated in a targeted manner.” Similar to crustaceans, for example, chitin, a polysaccharide, can be isolated, which is then converted into chitosan and sold on, for example, to the cosmetics industry. Chitin is also used as a fertilizer. But even when humans consume chitin, there is no evidence that this causes disease.
Conspiracy ideological articles point out the high chitinase levels that are associated with some diseases. Chitinase is an enzyme responsible for breaking down chitin. In some diseases, such as the hereditary disease Gaucher’s disease or asthma, chitinase levels in the body are increased.
However, from the point of view of experts, this is not proof that the consumption of foods containing chitin can also trigger these diseases. Because eating insects has no effect on the chitinase level in the body, according to scientists AFP news agency said. The high chitinase levels in some diseases are not the cause, but merely their side effects, which are used as a diagnostic marker.
Insects must be mentioned in the list of ingredients
In conspiracy circles it is also often claimed that insects in food do not have to be declared in the list of ingredients. But that isn’t true either. Insects have to go Information from the federal government be marked “clearly and understandably” in the list of ingredients. “The Latin and German names must be mentioned.” In addition, it must be stated in which form the insect was used, for example as a powder or paste, it continues. Information about possible allergic reactions in people with an allergy to crustaceans and molluscs as well as to house dust mites must also be listed.
However, insects have also been used as food additives for a long time. Food additives are substances added to food “for technological reasons”, such as Federal Office of Consumer Protection and Food Safety writes. They are marked as E numbers. The food coloring E120, for example, is obtained from lice. However, the EFSA only approves e-substances if the substance can be proven to be harmless to health and technically necessary.
Sustainability is a big advantage
Overall, insects in Europe are currently primarily used in the animal feed industry, says Vilcinskas. Vilcinskas firmly believes that Europeans will eventually eat insects like people in Asia, among other places. In addition to the good nutritional values, there is another big advantage: sustainability.
“Compared to cows, for example, keeping insects produces significantly fewer greenhouse gases, requires less water and also requires less space.” In addition, significantly more could be utilized by insects. It’s not about forcing people to eat insects. However, they are a sensible alternative.
But that is exactly what is presented differently in some circles. The topic of meat and meat substitutes is discussed very emotionally, says Dittrich. “Alternatives are seen as an attack. Nobody wants to ban steak.” However, the defensive attitude quickly leads to aggression in order not to have to deal with the consequences of one’s own actions.
The increased supply of soy products has already spread the conspiracy story about the so-called soy boy. There, the increased soy consumption was identified, among others in right-wing conservative circles, as a cause for male feminists. The claim that the phytoestrogens contained in soy lead to “feminization” in men is not scientifically tenable.
Rather, from Dittrich’s point of view, such examples show the fundamental dynamics of conspiracy narratives. “A possible alternative to a fundamental problem is reinterpreted in such a way that it fits into one’s own worldview. It is the total simplification of the world: instead of dealing with complex issues such as the importance of meat consumption with regard to climate change, one would rather go straight to it Conspiracy suspected.”