Acheta domesticus and the other Latin names cricket hides behind
Cricket and insect ingredients are usually declared on EU labels by their Latin binomial name, so Acheta domesticus (house cricket), Tenebrio molitor (yellow mealworm), Alphitobius diaperinus (lesser mealworm) and Locusta migratoria (migratory locust), rather than as "cricket flour". That is why people miss them. FoodCheckr matches all four binomials and their twelve label variants from a scan.
Why "cricket flour" is not what the label says
If you are scanning ingredient lists for the word "cricket", you will find almost nothing. That is not because insects are absent. It is because EU labelling uses the Latin binomial, and manufacturers are entitled to use it.
Acheta domesticus is not a code word. It is the correct scientific name for the house cricket, and using it is legally compliant. It is also, for practical purposes, invisible to a shopper who does not know what it means.
Every name, in one table
Four species are authorised. Between them they appear on labels under twelve variants, and the Latin binomial is the constant.
| Label name | Species | Form | Also appears as |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acheta domesticus | House cricket | Frozen, dried, powdered, partially defatted | Acheta domesticus powder · Partially defatted house cricket powder · House cricket |
| Tenebrio molitor | Yellow mealworm | Dried larvae, powder, UV-treated powder | Tenebrio molitor larva · Yellow mealworm larvae · UV-treated powder of whole Tenebrio molitor larvae |
| Alphitobius diaperinus | Lesser mealworm | Frozen, paste, dried, powdered | Lesser mealworm larvae · Buffalo worm |
| Locusta migratoria | Migratory locust | Frozen, dried, powdered | Migratory locust powder |
If you memorise only the four binomials in the first column, you have covered every declaration currently legal in the EU. The plain-English names in the fourth column are permitted but far less common on pack.
A note on chitin and chitosan. These turn up on a lot of online "insect ingredient" lists. They are structural compounds found in insect and crustacean exoskeletons, but food-grade chitosan is overwhelmingly made from shrimp and crab shells rather than insects. Worth recognising, but it is a shellfish flag more often than an insect one.
All four EU insect authorisations carry an explicit allergen warning. Yellow mealworm and migratory locust name crustaceans and dust mites; house cricket and lesser mealworm add molluscs. Insect and crustacean proteins are structurally related. If you have a shellfish allergy, these names belong on your avoid list for medical reasons, not dietary preference.
Where they are permitted
The EU authorisations specify which product categories each insect may be used in. For house cricket powder, the authorised list is long and includes some unexpected everyday items:
Multigrain bread and rolls · Crackers and breadsticks · Cereal bars · Dry pre-mixes for baked goods · Biscuits · Pasta-based products · Pizza · Whey powder · Legume and vegetable dishes · Processed potato products · Sauces · Nuts and oilseeds · Snacks · Soups and soup concentrates · Maize flour-based snacks · Beer-like beverages · Chocolate confectionery · Meat preparations
That is not a niche health-food aisle. It is a normal supermarket.
How common is it, really
Keep this in proportion. Insect ingredients are still rare in mainstream European retail. The authorisations create the legal possibility; commercial adoption remains limited, and products that do use them frequently advertise it, because their buyers want it.
What has changed is that "I would notice" is no longer true. Before 2021 you did not need to check. Now the possibility exists, the label may only say Acheta domesticus, and the only reliable way to know is to look properly.
Checking without memorising
Twelve names and four Latin binomials is more than most people will retain. Scanning the barcode or photographing the ingredient list checks against the full list every time, and it does not get tired at the end of a shop.
Frequently asked
Does the label have to say if food contains crickets?
In the EU, yes. The insect ingredient must be declared, and an allergen warning is required for people sensitive to crustaceans, molluscs and dust mites. But the declaration is commonly the Latin species name, such as Acheta domesticus, rather than "house cricket".
What is Acheta domesticus?
The scientific name for the house cricket. It appears on EU food labels in this form and is authorised as a novel food, including as a partially defatted powder used in baked goods, snacks and other categories.