Qatar bans food containing insects

Authorities reaffirmed a new food-related ban. This Thursday night, the ban on the consumption of insects became official, after the European Union (EU) added ingredients from these animals to the list of products suitable for food in early January.

Farm-raised crickets conquer palates in the Ecuadorian market

And it is that, although some insects are consumed around the world, because they are a source of protein as an alternative to meat, according to a statement from the Qatar Ministry of Health, insect-based products do not meet “the requirements of the standards halal food techniques.

The rules of the Gulf Cooperation Council and “the opinion of the competent authorities” prohibit “the consumption of insects and supplements extracted from them,” the ministry added.

This announcement followed a decision by some countries to approve the use of insects in food production, amid increasing pressure to find alternatives to meat and other foods associated with high levels of greenhouse gases.

Countries were not identified, but in January, the European Commission approved grain beetle larvae and cricket parts for use in food.

Islam does not categorically prohibit the consumption of insects, according to Muslim theologians. Most believe that crickets are halal, since they are mentioned in the Qur’an, but many experts reject the consumption of other insects as impure.

The Ministry of Health specified in its statement that “the conformity of the food to the halal rules was verified by the Islamic organizations accredited by the ministry and by its internationally accredited laboratories.”