The NovRBA Project was concerned with developing and testing a harmonized method based on Risk Benefit Assessment, with the aim of measuring the impact of replacing red meat in adults with a specific novel food: the cricket Acheta domesticus.
The method has been tried in 3 European countries, and the impact on consumer health has been positive, with a reduction in days of life lost to premature mortality and disabling conditions. A better communication strategy is deemed necessary to promote the consumption of these novel foods and generate an improvement in the health status of the general population. (1)
NovRBA and Risk-Benefit Assessment
The NovRBA(Novel Foods as red meat replacers – an insight using Risk Benefit Assessment methods) project was launched in March 2018, with the aim of assessing the overall health impact of replacing red meat with a novel food, through the use of Risk Benefit Assessment (RBA).
The RBA method allows for consideration of the benefits and risks of an activity, such as eating a food. EFSA has on several occasions promoted the use of RBA for a more truthful assessment of health consequences following consumption of certain foods. The main case studies considered were selenium, fish and milk. (2,3)
The RiskBenefit4EU project, which adopted the RBA method to assess the impact of cereal consumption on children’s health with respect to contaminants (e.g., mycotoxins) and nutrients (e.g., sugars, fiber), served as the basis for NovRBA. Overall, the work involves four main steps consisting of: (4)
1 – Problem definition and scenario identification;
2-Selection of health effects;
3 – Individual and population quantification of health risks and benefits;
4-Comparison of scenarios, interpretation of results and communication.
Methods
The choice of insects was conducted based on the guidelines and reports published by different member states. The selection criteria were mainly two: 1) the market potential of novel food and 2) the availability of comprehensive and reliable scientific publications on composition and production processes. The contest between the flour grub Tenebrio molitor and the house cricket Acheta domesticus saw the victory of the latter insect, among 24 species of interest to the European market, as already seen by the significant number of permits granted and in progress.
Two scenarios were set up, as already seen for seaweed that took into account a food of animal origin widely consumed in Europe (beef), and an insect preparation that was not distinguishable in the eyes of a consumer, and therefore more appreciable. Both foods were studied in the form of a burger.
Specifically, the scenarios are:
Reference scenario: consumption of a 100% beef burger (100 g meat + 50 g other ingredients);
Alternative scenario: consumption of an insect burger (35:65 ratio of water to powder) that would replace 100% of the beef burger.
The countries considered were Greece, France and Denmark, with focus for the adult population (> 18 years), due to the wider availability of data and reference literature.
Based on food consumption and the concentration of nutrients, microorganisms and contaminants in the two scenarios, Disability-adjusted life years (DALY) values were calculated in the 3 countries considered. This unit of measurement indicates the loss of the equivalent of one year of life, in the case of 1 DALY, and combines years of life lost due to premature mortality (YLL) and years of life lost due to having lived in a disabled state (YLD).
Results
The review of guidelines and scientific literature resulted in three lists: 1) long list, 2) short list and 3) final list of nutrients, microbiological and toxicological agents relevant to beef and Acheta domesticus relevant to the RBA results. From the final list it was possible to define the increases and reductions in the alternative scenario (cricket), in comparison with the reference scenario (beef):
Increases: calcium, fiber, magnesium, Omega-6 and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), with risks to Bacillus cereus and Clostridium perfrigens;
Reductions: iron, sodium, saturated fatty acids (SFA), vitamin B12 and zinc
Again based on the contents of the final list, DALYs were calculated for the 3 reference countries, expressed in years. Greece saw an average reduction of 8.753 DALYs, Denmark 6.572 and France 21.972. The differences are due to dietary styles and the difference in the size of the populations.
Communication for the promotion of insect consumption must be carefully conducted so as to avoid feelings of disgust and associations with live animals (visually or in writing). To increase acceptance, it is good to target communication on processed products. The recommended strategy for promoting the benefits of substituting insects for meat are:
Provide understandable scientific evidence on insect consumption to policy makers;
- Create opportunities for consumers to learn more about insect consumption;
- Use charismatic and trusted multipliers;
- Establish exchanges of information from reliable sources;
- Informanimal-reminder industrydisgust.
Limitations
The RBA study encountered difficulties due to incomplete availability of data on nutritional, toxicological aspects of house cricket, and the effects of its consumption on consumer health. Several nutrients (e.g., copper, phosphorus), microorganisms (e.g., Clostridium botulinum), and health impacts could not be considered, due to lack of data on a dose-response effect, to be combined with beef.
Another relevant, and currently lacking, aspect is the actual consumption of Acheta domesticus in the populations considered (and in the EU in general). In addition, the constructed scenario is based on a diet that is not subject to any kind of change, a condition that is difficult to realize in reality. The change in quality was considered in the study, but one aspect that has been missing is an assessment of the change in quantity, which would fill this gap.
Interim conclusions
The NovRBA project effectively employed the RBA method, to identify a potential improvement in the health status of the EU population through a “simple” change in dietary habits. The data must, however, be considered carefully at present, given the limitations that still exist.
Still, the RBA method is a potentially valuable tool to help relevant figures such as risk assessors and managers, along with policy makers, to provide dietary advice to the population, as seen for the Nutri-Score despite strong interest opposition.
Based on the recommendations provided by the RBA outcomes, several interventions are needed to increase the effectiveness of the method, with reference to all the novel foods, of which firstly a standardization of data on their composition and standard foods, so as to facilitate the determination of substitution effects in alternative scenarios.
Andrea Adelmo Della Penna
Notes
(1) Naska et al. (2022). Novel foods as red meat replacers – an insight using Risk Benefit Assessment methods (the NovRBA project). EFSA Supporting Publication EN-7316, https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2022.EN-7316
(2) EFSA (2010). Guidance on human health risk-benefit assessment of foods. EFSA Journal 8(7) :1673 , https://doi.org/10.2093/j.efsa.2010.1673
(3) DTU Food et al. (2019). Risk-Benefit Assessment of Foods. EFSA Journal 17(S2) :170917 , https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2019.e170917
(4) Alvito et al. (2019). RiskBenefit4EU -Partnering to strengthen Risk-Benefit Assessment within the EU using a holistic approach. EFSA Supporting Publication EN-1768, https://doi.org/10.2903/sp.efsa.2019.EN-1768
Graduated in Food Technologies and Biotechnologies, qualified food technologist, he follows the research and development area. With particular regard to European research projects (in Horizon 2020, PRIMA) where the FARE division of WIISE Srl, a benefit company, participates.
