Abstract
Abstract Following a request from the European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA) was asked to deliver an opinion on frozen paste from blanched, whole migratory locusts (Locusta migratoria) as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283. The NF is produced from farmed sub‐adult L. migratoria, which are blanched, wet ground into a paste, packed and stored frozen. The main components of the NF are water, proteins, fats and dietary fibres, including chitin. The Panel notes that the concentration of contaminants in the NF depends on the occurrence levels of these substances in the insect feed. The Panel concludes that there are no safety concerns regarding the stability of the NF if it complies with the proposed specification limits throughout its shelf‐life. The NF has a protein content of 13.8–14.8 g/100 g when calculated using the nitrogen‐to‐protein conversion factor of 6.25. The Panel notes that the true protein content is overestimated when using this factor due to the presence of non‐protein nitrogen, mainly from chitin. The applicant proposed to use the NF as a food ingredient. The target population proposed by the applicant is the general population. Considering the composition of the NF and the proposed conditions of use, the consumption of the NF is not nutritionally disadvantageous. The Panel notes that no safety concerns arise from the toxicological information available in the literature. The Panel considers that the consumption of the NF might trigger primary sensitisation to L. migratoria proteins and may cause allergic reactions in subjects allergic to crustaceans, mites and molluscs. Additionally, the Panel notes that allergens from the feed might still be present in the NF. The Panel concludes that the NF is safe under the proposed uses and use levels.