b'the use of probiotics in foods and foodevidence of a Let Them Eat Cricketsothers claimed was nothing more than supplements,Argentina,Malaysia,mentality that we see spreading arounda marketing ploy to sell more formula China,Singapore,India,SaudiAra- the World? Many people have allergiesto a largely untapped, older-infant mar-bia, Indonesia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt,and simply cannot consume insects. Ifket segment that would normally have Sudan, and of course the Internationalyou go forward with this, you will betransitionedtotheirculturesindige-ProbioticsAssociation(IPA)pushedopening a whole can of worms. Thenous diet. On this issue, both sides have hard for this new work to be given pri- room erupted in laughter at the lastclaimed victorythe industry with its ority. Opposed were Australia, Chile,sentence.So,thereissomesenseofhaving achieved a Codex standard and Costa Rica, Libya, Norway, Canada,humor at Codex meetings after all. the baby-formula consumer groups with the U.S., IADSA, CRN, and the an- Three days later, to the full Commit- their having shackled the standard to ti-vitaminconsumergroupsIBFAN,tee, I argued once more against insectthe stricter guidelines of the WHO and ENCA, and ILCA. NHF argued thatfood, stating that parasites in insectsWorld Health Assembly.while it was true that there were sig- and human allergies to insects are com-nificant challenges in creating guide- mon and widespread. Moreover, it isPolitics over Sciencelines, it would not be impossible. Thestrange that we struggle so hard to keepAs before, Australia, Canada, the PWG Chairwoman suggested that aninsect infestation out of our food sup- European Union, the United Kingdom, electronicworkinggroup(EWG)beply while at the same time promotingand the United States all submitted Con-created to further refine and clarify theinsect consumption here. We need toference Room Documents condemning proposed new work. This suggestiondeal with the tremendous problem ofRussias actions in Ukraine. Whatever was adopted later in the week by thefood wastage first before we even startones views on the subject, Codex Ali-full Committee. considering alternative food sources.mentarius is a scientific body and not a 4. Insect Food. Inevitably, the pro- In the end, CCNFSDU agreed thatpolitical forum. These submissions are posed Guidelines including GeneralCanada and the United States wouldtherefore entirely inappropriate in this Principles for the Nutritional Compo- refine the scope of the proposal beforeforum. We do note, however, that, un-sition of Foods and Beverages madere-presenting this new work at the nextlike last year, New Zealand did not join from Plant-based and other AlternativeCCNFSDU meeting. I was left wonder- in.Protein Sources, submitted by Canadaing about the identities of the people orHad I been able to stay for the last and the United States, came before usgroups truly pushing this insect-foodday of the meeting, I would have voiced for discussion, just as it had before inagenda. averbalobjectiontothesepolitical previous committees. Alternative pro- CRDs when Other Business was tein sources is of course the new codeFollow-up Formula discussed by the delegates, just as I did word for an insect-based food supplyIn development, discussion, and debateat the last Codex Committee on Pesti-slated to replace or augment traditionalfor over 10 years, including eight EWGscide Residues virtual meeting held in Western-based diets. The entire infra- andtwophysicalworkinggroups,19July 2022. Unfortunately, another meet-structure is being created for us to eatconsultation papers, eight agenda papers,ing required me to leave, so, these CRDs insects as a protein source instead oftwo scientific reports from the Food andwent unchallenged. Politics continues to animals, at least for the peasants. TheAgriculture Organization (FAO) and onereign over science, in all its forms.Elite will eat as they always do. Justfrom a Codex scientific body on protein us is what they are really saying whenquality and nitrogen conversion factors,Final Observationsthey argue that they are for Justice. the revised Standard for Follow-up For- All in all, this years Nutrition Com-AtboththePWGandregularmula for Older Infants and Product formitteemeetingwasawell-behaved CCNFSDUsessions,NHFarguedYoung Children was expected to take upand rather tame event. Well-run by the against the need for any insect foodmost of the time available for the Com- Chairwoman and her equally impres-categories. While ENCA and IBFANmittee. Instead, the feared, drawn-outsive co-Chairwoman, as well as by the were focused upon fighting the highlybattle over this standard fizzled out, withCodex Secretariat, this meeting was the processed plant-based protein sourcesChairwoman Brnstrup adroitly steeringleast controversial or argumentative thatwith the ENCA delegate even takingthe entire committee to an agreed-uponI have attended in a very long time.a slap at NHF by professing that friedconclusion in less than one day. Regardless,theNHFcontinuesto crickets are delicious!I was the soleAtonetime,variousbaby-formulamake an impact at each of these Codex person to argue against insect food, ask- consumer groups had been buzzing allmeetings it attends, thanks to the steady ing the PWG delegates, What is reallyover this topic like flies on cow patties,and unselfish support of its many mem-meant by alternative protein sources?while Nestle and other business-interestbers and supporters around the World.Do they mean Micro-Livestock? Is thisgroups defended the formula that many 2023 Scott C. Tips24 H ealtHF reedomN ews /s priNg2023'