Mealworms might soon start crawling their way onto plates in some parts of Europe, after they were approved as a human food.
They're normally used to feed pets and wild birds, or by anglers as bait.
On mealworms. https://t.co/JDZCtKmCzl
— Mel 🪔 • 🇪🇪🇪🇺🇺🇳 (@WithEternityIM) January 13, 2021
But despite the "yuck factor", the European Food Safety Agency wants to allow mealworms to be used whole in recipes.
The creepy crawlies can also be ground into a flour to make biscuits, pasta and bread.
The worms are reportedly rich in protein, fat and fibre and are likely to be the first of many insects to be granted approval in Europe in coming years.
They are the first insect to be assessed as a "novel food" by the agency.
