The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is advising dealers in edible insects to obtain certification from UNBS to ensure the safety of their products for public consumption. Additionally, the bureau is calling on Public Health Inspectors to remain vigilant and ensure that those involved in the trade of edible insects adhere to strict hygiene practices throughout the processes of harvesting, processing, packaging, and transportation.
Sylvia Kirabo, the Principal Public Relations Officer at UNBS, emphasized that this directive aligns with the UNBS mandate, which focuses on developing, promoting, and enforcing standards to protect public health, safety, and the environment from dangerous and sub-standard products.
In March 2022, UNBS, in collaboration with Makerere University School of Food Technology, Nutrition, and Bio-Systems Engineering (Food Science), and with support from the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), launched the Edible Insects Standard, US 2146:2020 Edible Insects – Specification. This initiative aims to facilitate the commercialization of edible insects and ensure their safe consumption within the Ugandan market.
The standard incorporates quality assurance measures, including the analysis of unwanted biological and chemical substances that may contaminate edible insects during harvesting, processing, packaging, or transportation. US 2146:2020 Edible Insects – Specification delineates the requirements, sampling procedures, and test methods applicable to various edible insects, such as Grasshoppers (Nsenene), White Ants, Termites, Crickets, among others.