Mealworms are safe for human consumption. EFSA’s latest batch of scientific opinions on novel food applications includes a significant first – a safety assessment of a proposed insect-derived food product: dried yellow mealworm.

What happens if you eat mealworms?

These larvae could carry bacteria like salmonella or even parasites. Whether you’re eating mealworms dry roasted, pan-fried or raw, consuming too many of these insects could result in severe health problems and diseases that could threaten your life.

Can you get sick from eating mealworms?

Human Health Concerns

However, in situations like poultry farming, mealworm infestations can present threats to humans. First, the adult beetles produce a group of poisons called benzoquinones. These act as an irritant to humans, causing allergy and asthma-like symptoms in poultry workers.

Is it safe to eat a live mealworm?

FUN FACT: Mealworms can be eaten raw and alive, they can also be pan-fried, but dry-roasting is often the tastiest and least recognizable way to eat them.

Do mealworms taste good?

What do mealworms taste like? Mealworms have an unobtrusive umami flavor that leaves a light, nutty aftertaste. They pair well with more or less anything. Try them in our Taste of Mexico, Taste of Italy, or Umami flavors.

Can I eat a dried mealworm?

The EU’s food safety agency said Wednesday that certain dried mealworms are safe for humans to eat in the first assessment of its kind on insect-based foods under the bloc’s new novel food laws.