Swiss supermarket to sell insect-based food

Photo: Flickr / Breville USA / CC 2.0 — image cropped

Swiss wholesale supermarket giant Coop will begin selling products containing insects, such as burgers and meatballs, as early as spring 2017.

The company released a statement days after Switzerland’s federal food safety office announced that starting May 1, 2017, any food product that meets food safety regulations can be sold commercially. Swiss law previously specified that unusual foodstuffs, such as insect-based products, could not be sold without special authorization.

“By adding some varieties of insects to the list of ingredients in some processed products, we are building on a modern, forward-looking food industry and creating a tailor-made offer from the beginning that allows customers to discover a new world of flavors,” says Roland Frefel, manager of fresh products at Coop.

This year, insects are getting plenty of attention as a viable food source thanks to further research on nutritional benefits. The European Union announced Dec. 13 the authorization of insect proteins as fish feed.

To come up with the new products, Coop says it will work with Swiss startup Essento, who develops, produces and markets edible insect-based food.

“The secret of our success is due to our capacity to identify trends and innovate,” says Coop spokesman Roland Frefel. “Adding certain varieties of insects to processed products would allow customers to ‘discover a new world of flavors.'”