Overcoming the 'Yuck Factor': Yellow Grub Becomes EU's First Insect Food

Mealworms are the first insect approved in the EU as a human food. (Reuters)
Mealworms are the first insect approved in the EU as a human food. (Reuters)
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Overcoming the 'Yuck Factor': Yellow Grub Becomes EU's First Insect Food

Mealworms are the first insect approved in the EU as a human food. (Reuters)
Mealworms are the first insect approved in the EU as a human food. (Reuters)

Mealworms may soon find their into Europe's pasta bowls and dinner dishes, after becoming the first insect approved in the region as a human food.

Wednesday's decision by the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) paves the way for the yellow grubs to be used whole and dried in curries and other recipes and as a flour to make biscuits, pasta and bread.

Despite their name, mealworms are beetle larvae rather than worms and are already used in Europe as a pet food ingredient.

Rich in protein, fat and fiber, they are likely to be the first of many insects to feature on European's plates in the coming years, EFSA chemist and food scientist Ermolaos Ververis told Reuters.

Under his supervision, mealworms were the first insect that the EU agency assessed under a "novel food" regulation that came into effect in 2018, triggering a flood of similar applications.

"There is great interest of the scientific community and also the food industry in the edible insect sector," he said.

People across much of the world - including parts of Africa, Australia and New Zealand - already enjoy tucking into insect bars, cricket burgers and other grub-based foods,

Once the European Commission ratifies ESFA's endorsement, Europe will join them.

Some sociologists, however, believe psychological barriers particularly strong in Europe mean it will be some time before the yellow worms start flying off supermarket shelves there.

"There are cognitive reasons derived from our social and cultural experiences - the so-called ‘yuck factor' - that make the thought of eating insects repellent to many Europeans," said Giovanni Sogari, a social and consumer researcher at the University of Parma in Italy.

"With time and exposure, such attitudes can change."

EFSA said it had received 156 applications for "novel food" safety assessments since 2018, covering everything from algae-derived foods to an array of insect species.



Trump Says Coca-Cola to Switch to Cane Sugar in US

Partial view of the Coca-Cola Company's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on June 29, 2025. JUAN MABROMATA / AFP/File
Partial view of the Coca-Cola Company's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on June 29, 2025. JUAN MABROMATA / AFP/File
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Trump Says Coca-Cola to Switch to Cane Sugar in US

Partial view of the Coca-Cola Company's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on June 29, 2025. JUAN MABROMATA / AFP/File
Partial view of the Coca-Cola Company's world headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia on June 29, 2025. JUAN MABROMATA / AFP/File

Beverage giant Coca-Cola has agreed to use real cane sugar in its US production, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday on social media.

The company currently uses high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in its domestic beverages -- a sweetener that has long drawn criticism from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his Make America Healthy Again movement, AFP said.

"I have been speaking to Coca-Cola about using REAL Cane Sugar in Coke in the United States, and they have agreed to do so," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

"I'd like to thank all of those in authority at Coca-Cola. This will be a very good move by them -- You'll see. It's just better!"

The US president did not explain what motivated his push for the change, which would not impact his well-known favorite beverage, Diet Coke.

Since his return to the White House, Trump has re-installed a special button in the Oval Office which summons a helping of the sugar-free carbonated drink.

Coca-Cola did not immediately confirm the ingredient shift.

"We appreciate President Trump's enthusiasm for our iconic Coca‑Cola brand. More details on new innovative offerings within our Coca‑Cola product range will be shared soon," the company said in a short statement.

HFCS became popular in the 1970s, with its use skyrocketing thanks to government subsidies for corn growers and high import tariffs on cane sugar.

Any shift away from corn is likely to draw backlash in the Corn Belt, a Midwestern region that has been a stronghold of support for Trump.

Both HFCS and sucrose (cane sugar) are composed of fructose and glucose. However, they differ structurally: HFCS contains free (unbonded) fructose and glucose in varying ratios -- 55/45 in soft drinks -- while sucrose consists of the two sugars chemically bonded together.

These structural differences, however, don't appear to significantly affect health outcomes.

A 2022 review of clinical studies found no meaningful differences between HFCS and sucrose in terms of weight gain or heart health.

The only notable distinction was an increase in a marker of inflammation in people consuming HFCS. Overall, both sweeteners appear similarly impactful when consumed at equal calorie levels.

Despite this, Mexican Coke -- which is made with cane sugar -- is often sold at a premium in US stores and prized for its more "natural" flavor.

Trump's prized Diet Coke is sweetened with aspartame -- a compound classified as a "possible carcinogen" by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).