From the end of December 2023, four species of insects can be marketed in Italy . The mealworm, the migratory locust , the house cricket and the yellow grub. Obviously they will not be sold live, but mainly in the form of protein flour. The Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry Francesco Lollobrigida had to admit this on January 13th during a hearing in Parliament. An advanced expression through gritted teeth that brings one of the most ardent supporters of the traditional and one of the most fierce opponents of agri-food innovation back down to earth. After years of rarely constructive discussions on insects seen as forms of nutrition, the Government which more than any other prides itself on protecting national production was forced to allow the sale of larvae and crickets transformed into flour. A joke, but also a reality announced as it has already been written . Although all the self-declared "champions of the Italian diet", the Government and Coldiretti first and foremost, can unite in protest, as long as the country is a member of the European Union, the laws on trade are written by the Union, not by individual governments. And this is a good thing, given that the free movement of goods and people is one of the most important rights of citizens of the Member States.

The first European approval already in 2021

The Government knew this very well, but in order to chase consensus - it is undeniable that insect flours arouse revulsion in a population accustomed to eating well - it preferred to launch itself into a losing battle from the start. The Italian implementing decrees are in fact dated at the end of December, but the European Food Safety Authority, EFSA, had already given approval for the sale of the mealworm in 2021, an authorization extended over the following years to other insects. Italy could therefore not change the Law and the Minister had to bite the bullet trying to patch up his defeat by declaring that the insects will indeed enter supermarkets, but that consumers will be able to avoid having to consume them thanks to ad hoc labeling and to the positioning of these foods on specific shelves. It's a shame that even the rules on labeling are not a matter of national discussion but governed by European standards , Regulations 882/2021, 1975/2021, 188/2022, 5/2023 and 58/2023.

Lollobrigida has therefore sold for her own work done by others, and it is not beautiful, then worsening the matter with a thesis that still needs to be discussed: insects are different from cultivated meat as they are natural products. Quoting his words, taken up by Ansa, “insects are natural elements present in the diet of other nations. We do not have them among the main elements of our diet and I believe that, unlike cultivated meats, they do not call into question our model and the food culture of which we are proud".

  What's up with fake meat?

It remains to be demonstrated that cultivated meat is not of natural origin given that its production starts from natural cells, but what is serious is the fact that behind the Minister's words lies yet another demonstration of how for certain people the Italians are subjects incapable of rational choices and therefore for their own good they must be "forced" to make choices . In the face of that protection of personal freedom which should be the basis of a serious and consolidated democracy and also in the face of technological progress, in this specific case described as an attack on unspecified shared values.

Insects and cultured meat: innovation is always an opportunity

Fortunately, Europe will once again take care of regulating the future marketing of cultivated meat, an organization that is sometimes mother and sometimes stepmother but which in this specific case protects freedom of food. In fact, it happens that regardless of the government position and regardless of the disgust that insects may arouse, it is necessary to underline how the news of their possible commercialization is positive. Fighting with innovation is never a good idea and the new proposals will certainly not harm either the Italian consumer or the farmers or breeders. The former are in fact free not to purchase them and the latter not to produce them, on the understanding that if the market opens up nothing will prevent farmers and breeders from entering the business.

However, the continued obstinacy of all governments in not transposing community rules every time they could lead to a loss of consensus is hurtful. On crickets and larvae, Italy was only late, but at the moment there are 82 infringement procedures open towards our country due to missing obligations within the EU. Instead of worrying about what Italians eat, the Government would therefore do well to work on those, if only to avoid making Italians pay for its mistakes, its incompetence and its inertia.