Mealworms as a poultry feed - The legal low down.

The Legal Status of Feeding Live Mealworms to Poultry in the UK: A 2025 Deep Dive

As sustainable agriculture gains traction across the UK, farmers and researchers are exploring alternative feed sources that are environmentally friendly, nutritious, and cost-effective. Among the top contenders is the humble mealworm (Tenebrio molitor), a highly efficient insect rich in protein, fat, and essential amino acids. While many countries, including those in the EU, have adopted progressive legislation allowing processed insect proteins in poultry feed, the UK's legal position is more complex.

This article offers a comprehensive 2025 overview of the legal status of feeding live mealworms to poultry in the UK. We'll examine the historical context, current regulations, scientific support, legal grey areas, and what's next on the horizon.

A Brief Introduction to Insects as Feed

Insects have been part of poultry diets for millennia. Chickens are natural foragers, and live insects like worms, beetles, and larvae are instinctively consumed in free-range environments. With global concerns about the environmental footprint of traditional protein sources like soy and fishmeal, insects have re-emerged as a promising feed alternative.

Mealworms, in particular, are valued for their:

• High protein content (~53% live basis)

• Excellent fat and energy density

• Balanced amino acid profile

• Low land and water usage in production

• Ability to be reared on food waste substrates

Given these benefits, the interest in incorporating mealworms into poultry diets in a controlled, legal, and sustainable way is growing rapidly.

UK Legal Status: Live vs. Processed Insects

 Live Mealworms: Legal

In the UK, feeding live mealworms to poultry is legal. This has been confirmed by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). According to current UK feed law:

• Live terrestrial invertebrates are not classified as processed animal protein (PAP).

• This means they fall outside the regulatory restrictions associated with PAPs.

• As such, live insects such as mealworms, black soldier fly larvae, and crickets can legally be fed to poultry.

In a Parliamentary response in April 2022, DEFRA clarified:

"It is currently permissible to use live invertebrates as chicken or pig feed."

This legal allowance aligns with poultry’s natural dietary behavior and opens doors for small-scale and commercial farms to use live mealworms for welfare and supplementary nutrition.

Processed Mealworms: Illegal

On the other hand, feeding dried or processed mealworms, including ground insect meal or defatted protein extracts to poultry remains prohibited in the UK under the Animal By-Products (ABP) and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) regulations.

The primary reason for this restriction is the classification of processed insects as processed animal proteins (PAPs). UK legislation still prohibits PAPs in ruminant and monogastric livestock feed, including poultry, due to historical concerns over diseases such as BSE (mad cow disease).

While the EU revised its rules in 2021 to allow certain processed insect meals in pig and poultry feed (EU Reg 2021/1372), the UK did not adopt this amendment following Brexit.

DEFRA’s position remains:

"Insects, when processed (i.e., dried, ground, hydrolysed), are considered PAPs and are currently not permitted in farmed animal feed in the UK."

Regulatory Framework Behind the Ban

Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR)

The UK’s ABPR mirrors pre-Brexit EU law. Under this, PAPs derived from terrestrial animals are tightly regulated. Insects fall into this category when:

• They are processed (e.g., dried, milled, defatted)

• They are used in feed for animals intended for the food chain

Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy (TSE) Regulations

TSE laws aim to prevent diseases like BSE. Although insects are biologically distant from mammals, the UK has maintained a precautionary ban on PAPs across most livestock species, including poultry, due to concerns over cross-contamination and surveillance.

Until a formal risk assessment and regulatory update is completed, processed insect protein cannot legally be used in poultry feed.

Why This Matters: Sustainability & Innovation

Despite these restrictions, the interest in mealworms continues to rise for several reasons:

• Environmental sustainability: Mealworms can convert food waste into high-quality protein with a lower carbon footprint than soy or fishmeal.

• Animal welfare: Live feeding encourages natural foraging behavior, reducing stress and feather pecking in flocks.

• Feed resilience: Insect farming can help diversify and localize feed supply chains, reducing dependence on imports.

• Market innovation: UK companies like Entec Nutrition and Better Origin are investing in live insect systems for poultry.

Innovations include smart insect-rearing pods, waste-to-feed cycles, and integration into regenerative farming models.

Practical Use of Live Mealworms on UK Farms

Many UK free-range and organic farms are already feeding live mealworms, with excellent results. Examples include:

• Better Origin’s partnerships with UK egg producers using live insect larvae in feeding systems.

• Farmer testimonials citing better flock health, improved egg-laying consistency, and increased behavioural enrichment.

• Birds receiving live insects have shown reduced floor eggs, fewer aggressive behaviours, and stronger immune response.

Live feeding is generally done in small doses (typically 3–5% of diet by volume) and integrated with the flock’s standard ration.

Mealworms can be offered:

• In scatter feeding (to encourage foraging)

• In trays or feeders (to reduce waste)

• As a training or enrichment reward

It’s important to ensure mealworms are sourced from DEFRA-approved insect farms with safe substrates and no contamination risk.

The Push for Regulatory Reform

UK researchers, environmental groups, and feed innovators are lobbying for change. Organizations like:

• Michelmores LLP (agricultural law specialists)

• WWF-UK (supporting circular protein systems)

• Entocycle and other insect tech firms

...are urging the UK government to align with the EU’s 2021 reforms, which allow seven insect species (including mealworms and black soldier fly) as PAPs in pig and poultry feed.

A public consultation process was launched in 2024, with DEFRA collecting data on:

• Feed safety and traceability

• Risk of cross-species contamination

• Impact on consumer confidence

As of mid-2025, reforms are still under review, but signals from industry and policy circles suggest change may be imminent.

Legal Summary

Here’s a simplified breakdown of current UK legislation (as of June 2025):

Feed Type	Legal for Poultry?	Notes
Live mealworms (whole)	Yes	Not considered PAP; permitted under ABP & TSE law
Dried or processed mealworms	No	Classified as PAP; banned in poultry feed under current regulations
Processed insect meal (general)	No	Legal in EU since 2021; still banned in UK pending regulatory update

What UK Producers Can Do Now

Until legal changes occur, poultry producers should:

1. Incorporate live insects as part of flock enrichment programs.

2. Buy from certified suppliers to ensure safety and legal compliance.

3. Avoid processed insect meal, even if sourced from the EU or labeled "organic."

4. Engage in pilot projects or partner with innovators exploring closed-loop insect farming.

5. Stay informed on the evolving regulatory landscape and be prepared for early adoption once reforms are passed.

Conclusion: The Path Forward

Feeding live mealworms to poultry is not just lega, it’s also practical, beneficial, and aligned with natural bird behaviour. With growing evidence of improved welfare and sustainability, the UK poultry sector is well-positioned to lead in insect-fed innovation.

However, for mealworm meal and processed insect proteins to become mainstream, legislative reform is essential. As the government continues to consult on post-Brexit animal feed rules, the opportunity to embrace circular, low-impact protein sources is within reach.

Until then, live mealworms remain the bridge between today’s regulations and tomorrow’s sustainable poultry feed systems.

Interested in trialling live mealworms on your farm? Reach out to us here at Chitexo!

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