How eating insects became a conspiracy theory

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In January 2025, the European Commission approved UV-treated yellow mealworm powder as a novel food. Under these regulations, the EU authorised up to 4% of its use in bread, cheese and pasta – with the requirement that it be clearly listed among the ingredients on product labels. Still, Eurosceptic accounts denounced this approval and regulation. “Out of ecological madness, they are taking the risk of poisoning an entire continent [Europe] in order to compete with livestock farming,” said Florian Philippot, founder of French nationalist party Les Patriotes, in a video on X. He made the false claim that there would be “up to 4g per 100g” of larvae in “our bread, compotes, pastas” making a similar, incorrect claim as Duplomb: that those in power are using climate change as an excuse to make the average European person eat bugs without their consent.

Rhetorically, the phrase “I will not eat the bugs” is compellingly structured as a response to an order – but that order was never given, explains Aniano. The meme’s effectiveness lies in its simplicity, tapping into deeper anxieties about trusting authorities, especially during emergencies like climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, she adds.

How to combat this disinformation 

Conspiracy theories fill an emotional need, says Stephan Lewandowsky, a professor of cognitive science at the University of Bristol in the UK who focuses on science-denial and responses to disinformation. Conspiracy theories tend to emerge from an inclination to make sense of the world, he says.

As the average person navigates uncertainty, particularly during times of crisis, it may be difficult to live in a world that they perceive to be random. Conspiracies provide narrative when, sometimes, there is none, according to research.