Companies Using Insects in Their Products: How to Check Viral Food Claims
A viral post claims Barilla pasta contains cricket flour. Another says Beyond Meat hides mealworm larvae under the words "pea protein." These stories sound alarming, but claims about companies using insects in their products need more than a dramatic caption or cropped label.
The evidence tells a clearer story. Some food companies openly sell products made with cricket or mealworm protein. However, the Barilla and Beyond Meat allegations do not match the publicly documented ingredient lists for their widely sold products.
Why Claims About Companies Using Insects in Their Products Spread
Social media turns vague wording into proof
Posts often combine a familiar brand, an unfamiliar ingredient term, and a warning about hidden insect ingredients. A photo may show a protein product from one company while the caption names another. Old packaging and altered images add to the confusion.
Terms such as "plant protein" and "pea protein" also invite false claims. A broad phrase can seem suspicious when readers do not see the full ingredient panel. Yet pea protein means protein taken from peas, while insect protein comes from an animal source and should not be treated as the same ingredient.
What secret insect use would require
A genuine claim should identify an exact product, country, package, and date. Strong evidence may include a complete ingredient label, a company statement, a regulatory filing, a recall notice, or reporting that names its source.
Food rules generally require ingredients to appear under common or approved names. Rules differ by country, and some compound ingredients may use grouped terms. Still, replacing cricket flour with "plant protein" would be a serious labeling issue, not a normal shortcut.
This article uses four verdicts: True, False, Misleading, or Unverified.
The two claims need product-level evidence
The Barilla claim says pasta contains cricket flour labeled as "plant protein." The Beyond Meat claim says mealworm larvae appear under "pea protein." Neither allegation should be treated as confirmed without reliable documentation.
Formulas can differ by country and change over time. Current packaging, archived labels, official product pages, regulator records, and reputable fact-checks matter more than viral repetition.
Barilla and Cricket Flour: A Claim That Depends on the Label
What the Barilla claim says
The allegation contains two separate questions. Does a named Barilla product list cricket flour or another insect ingredient? If so, does its label call that ingredient "plant protein"?
Public ingredient information for common Barilla pasta products identifies wheat-based semolina and water. Some specialty products include legumes or added plant proteins. The commonly circulated cricket-flour claim does not identify a verifiable product, market, or authentic package.
What the available labels show
Barilla ingredient lists should be checked for terms such as "cricket flour," "insect powder," or the scientific name Acheta domesticus. A complete package photo should also show the product name, barcode, ingredient panel, and country of sale.
The available ingredient information for mainstream Barilla pasta does not list those terms. It also does not show "plant protein" being used to conceal cricket flour. An unsourced screenshot cannot outweigh a complete, official ingredient list for the same product.
Barilla verdict
False for the commonly cited mainstream pasta products. No reliable evidence supports the claim that Barilla secretly replaces plant protein wording with cricket flour.
A post about an unnamed product or an altered package remains Unverified. That distinction matters because a false claim about one product does not prove that every Barilla formula has been checked.
Beyond Meat and Mealworm Protein: Product Facts Versus Online Speculation
What the mealworm allegation claims
The Beyond Meat rumor says mealworm larvae appear in products labeled with "pea protein." The claim cannot be tested by looking at the company name or its work in alternative protein. It requires the ingredient list for a specific Beyond product.
Mealworms are insects. Their scientific name is Tenebrio molitor. That is different from pea protein, soy protein, wheat protein, mycoprotein, and other protein sources.
What Beyond labels reveal
Official ingredient information for widely sold Beyond Meat products, including Beyond Burger formulations, identifies pea protein isolate and other plant-derived ingredients. The public lists do not name mealworm, Tenebrio molitor, insect protein, or cricket flour.
"Pea protein" is not a secret code for mealworm ingredients. It identifies a protein ingredient made from peas, although recipes and label wording may vary between countries and product lines.
Beyond Meat verdict
False for the commonly cited products. The mealworm allegation is unsupported by the available product labels and does not follow from the presence of pea protein.
A claim tied to an experimental product, supplier, or different company would need separate evidence. An anonymous post or edited video earns an Unverified verdict, not a true one.
Why "Plant Protein" Becomes the Center of Food-Labeling Myths
What plant protein means
Plant protein generally comes from peas, soy, wheat, rice, beans, or other plants. The exact wording depends on the recipe and local labeling rules.
Marketing language can be broad, but it does not change an ingredient's source. A product advertised as sustainable or high in protein does not automatically contain insects, and an insect ingredient cannot become plant-based through branding.
How insect ingredients appear on labels
Approved terms may include "cricket flour," "cricket powder," "mealworm," "insect protein," or a scientific species name. Some labels may use a common name while others use a regulatory term.
Allergen statements should be read with the ingredient list. Label rules differ across the United States, the European Union, Canada, and other markets, so a label from one country cannot prove what appears on another country's package.
Why screenshots fail as proof
Cropped images often omit the product name, country, date, or full ingredient panel. Some show a protein powder or snack from a small insect-food brand while the caption names a major pasta or meat company.
Treat screenshots as leads. Complete packaging, official company records, regulator notices, and reporting that names a source provide stronger evidence.
Five Companies Commonly Linked to Insect-Ingredient Claims
Barilla and Beyond Meat
The two viral claims fail to provide a product-specific label. Public ingredient lists for common Barilla pasta and Beyond Meat products do not name cricket flour or mealworm ingredients.
Their verdicts are False for the products usually shown in these posts. That verdict does not cover every product ever sold in every country.
Three companies with documented insect products
Three companies have openly marketed insect-based foods or ingredients: Bitty Foods, Chirps, and Chapul. Their connection to insect protein is documented in company product descriptions and package labeling, so they are not examples of secret use.
Bitty Foods has sold cricket flour and foods made with cricket protein. Chirps has marketed snacks made with cricket flour. Chapul has sold protein bars made with cricket protein. Product availability may change, but the ingredient connection is clear in the documented product materials.
Comparison table
| Company | Product | Claim | Evidence | Label language | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barilla | Common pasta products | Cricket flour hidden as plant protein | Public ingredient lists do not name insects | Wheat semolina, water, or listed plant ingredients | False |
| Beyond Meat | Common burger products | Mealworm hidden as pea protein | Public ingredient lists name pea protein, not mealworm | Pea protein isolate | False |
| Bitty Foods | Cricket flour foods | Uses insect protein | Company product descriptions and labels | Cricket flour | True |
| Chirps | Cricket-based snacks | Uses cricket ingredients | Company product pages and package labels | Cricket flour | True |
| Chapul | Cricket protein bars | Uses insect protein | Company product descriptions and labels | Cricket protein | True |
The table shows the key difference: openly labeled insect foods have direct evidence. Viral claims about major brands often do not.
How to Check Whether a Food Contains Insect Protein
Begin with the complete ingredient list
Front-of-pack claims are not enough. Read the full ingredient panel and search for common and scientific insect names, including cricket flour, insect powder, mealworm, and Acheta domesticus.
Check the allergen statement and the nutrition panel as well. A product may have separate labels for different flavors, sizes, or preparation methods.
Match the product, country, and date
Take a photo of the whole package, including the barcode and best-before date. Then compare it with the manufacturer's product page and a reputable retailer listing from the same market.
A formula can change after a package is printed. A label from the United States cannot settle a claim about a product sold in France or Australia.
Use sources stronger than social posts
A manufacturer response, national food-safety database, recall notice, or established fact-checking organization can help settle a disputed claim. Anonymous posts, AI-generated images, and videos without source details cannot.
People with shellfish allergies should ask a healthcare professional about possible reactions to insect proteins. Anyone following a vegan, vegetarian, kosher, halal, or other strict diet should confirm the exact product with the manufacturer.
The Real Story Behind Insect Protein
Why companies test alternative proteins
Businesses explore insects because they can support new food products, protein sources, and farming methods. Some companies sell insect snacks openly, while others research ingredients without placing them in retail food.
That broad trend does not connect Barilla or Beyond Meat to insect ingredients. A research project, supplier relationship, or industry conference cannot prove a secret change to a supermarket product.
Transparency matters more than shock value
Openly labeled cricket snacks and hidden mealworm allegations are different issues. Consumers need clear information for health, ethics, religious practice, cultural reasons, and personal choice.
A fair verdict can change if a company publishes a new formula, a regulator releases a finding, or credible reporting reveals a dated product record. Research should record the date and distinguish current products from discontinued ones.
Conclusion: Check the Label Before Believing the Claim
The claim that Barilla uses cricket flour labeled as "plant protein" is False for the commonly cited pasta products. The claim that Beyond Meat hides mealworm larvae under "pea protein" is also False for the widely cited products.
Bitty Foods, Chirps, and Chapul provide documented examples of companies using insects in their products, but they have marketed those ingredients openly. The best way to assess any new rumor is to check the exact product, label, country, and date, then compare the claim with official and regulatory records.
Before sharing a post, look for evidence that names the ingredient. Classify the claim as True, False, Misleading, or Unverified and show the source behind the verdict.
Resources
Barilla Nutrition Facts. (2024). GroceryNutrition.Org. https://grocerynutrition.org/barilla
Mo. (2025, November 12). Barilla Protein Plus Ingredients | Label Breakdown. Protein Jug. https://proteinjug.com/barilla-protein-plus-ingredients/
TheLivingLook Team. (2026, May 22). Beyond Meat Nutrition Label: How to Read & Evaluate It. TheLivingLook. https://thelivinglook.com/kitchen-hacks/beyond-meat-nutrition-label
frc. (2025, December 25). What’s Actually in Beyond Meat? Complete Ingredient Breakdown. Food Reality Check - What Food Companies Don’t Want You to Know. https://foodrealitycheck.com/beyond-meat-ingredients/
Beyond Stack Burger | Plant Based Burger Patty | Beyond Meat. (2024). Beyondmeat.Com. https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-US/products/beyond-stack-burger/beyond-stack-burger
Introducing Bitty Foods: Delicious, high-protein baked goods made with cricket flour! (2024). F6S. https://www.f6s.com/company/bittyfoods
Chips Made with Cricket Flour - As Seen on Shark Tank. (n.d.). Chirps Chips. Retrieved August 21, 2026, from https://eatchirps.com/
Chapul - Mark Cuban Companies. (2020, June 4). Mark Cuban Companies. https://markcubancompanies.com/companies/chapul/