Russia Rejects Insect-Based Food Products

By Staff, Agencies

Russia will not introduce insect-based food products to its population, Yulia Ogloblina, deputy head of the State Duma’s agriculture committee, affirmed, stressing that such items are reserved for the European Union, where agriculture faces decline.

Speaking to TASS on Tuesday, Ogloblina said, “In Russia, we have never eaten and will never eat insects. Never… It’s out of the question. I’m saying this solemnly.”

She added that insects are used “exclusively as feed for fish and animals” and that Russia’s position will not change even if studies explore alternative protein sources.

The remarks come after the European Commission approved dried and ground mealworm larvae — the young form of beetles — as a food ingredient last February.

The approval allows up to 4% of insect-based powder in products like bread, cheese, pasta, and jams, as part of the EU’s push for more sustainable protein sources.

Ogloblina criticized the European approach, stating it reflects the bloc’s failing agriculture: “It’s so bad that they are now saying: ‘We should be eating crickets, bugs and spiders.’ Thank God, everything is fine here. We have plenty of land. That’s why we are sticking to our real Russian food.”

Experts in Russia have suggested that insect-based products could eventually enter the market, but cultural resistance and the need for effective food safety processes remain major hurdles.

In contrast, insects have long been a dietary staple in parts of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with countries such as Mexico and Thailand regularly consuming crickets, grasshoppers, and beetle larvae.