Kuwait Bans Food Products that Contain Insects

Kuwait affirmed on Monday that food products containing insects would not be allowed to enter the country.

The ban on food containing insects is in accordance with the approved Gulf regulations (General Requirements for Halal Food), which prohibits the use of all types of insects in products, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition’s Food Technical Committee said.

The authority will keep track for all developments related to food products through its various technical management and national committees.

This comes after the European Commission on January 6, published the Implementing Regulation authorising frozen and freeze-dried formulations of lesser mealworm (Alphitobius diaperinus) as Novel Food. On the 4th of January 2023, the European insect sector also welcomed the Commission’s Implementing Regulation authorising partially defatted whole house cricket (Acheta domesticus) as Novel food.

These came into effect on the 26th of January 2023.