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Fried hong kong caterpillar is seen in the pan ready to eat. Photo/REUTERS
DOHA – Qatar reaffirms the religious prohibition according to them to eat insects. The official statement comes after the European Union (EU) added insects to the government’s list of approved foods.
“Insect products do not meet the requirements of the technical regulations for halal food,” the Qatari Ministry of Health said in a statement late Thursday (2/2/2023).
“Gulf Cooperation Council regulations and the religious opinion of the competent authorities prohibit the consumption of insects, or the proteins and supplements extracted from them,” the Qatar statement said.
According to Qatar, the announcement follows “decisions by several countries to approve the use of insects in food production.”
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Qatar did not identify the name of the foreign country in question, but the European Union commission last month approved mealworm larvae, a species of beetle, and products containing crickets for use in food.
Insects have long been a source of protein in communities around the world, but their consumption has grown in popularity as pressures for alternatives to meat and other foods associated with high levels of greenhouse gases have increased.
The EU has now approved four insects as “new foods” that its citizens can eat.
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All products containing insects must be clearly labeled.
