Monica Pava-Ripoll, Ph.D.
Research Entomologist, Food & Drug Administration, Human Foods Program, Office of Laboratory Operations and Applied Science, Office of Applied Microbiology and Technology, Division of Food Safety Genomics
This session examines the FDA's comprehensive regulatory framework governing insects intended for human consumption under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Key Topics Include the regulatory requirements for whole ready-to-eat (RTE) insects and regulatory pathways for insect-derived food ingredients. Additionally, the session will explore emerging scientific developments, highlighting current research in DNA-based authentication methods for verifying insect species identity, a critical advancement that supports both food safety objectives and accurate labeling practices.
About
Dr. Pava-Ripoll holds a bachelor’s degree in Bacteriology and pursued graduate studies in Industrial Microbiology and Food Science and Technology. She went on to earn a Ph.D. in Entomology and a Graduate Certificate in Food Safety Risk Assessment from the University of Maryland, College Park, in 2009. For more than 15 years, she has served as a Research Entomologist with the FDA’s Human Foods Program, where she leads regulatory and research initiatives on arthropod contaminants and other extraneous materials in food.
Her work has included studying bacterial foodborne pathogens carried by insects and exploring how filth flies spread these organisms. More recently, her research has centered on advancing methods to identify insect contamination in food products. She applies cutting-edge metagenomic approaches and targeted enrichment strategies to detect and identify insect species in food, including those intended for human consumption. Through this work, she contributes to improving food safety by providing reliable tools for monitoring and controlling insect-related contamination and for verifying insect species identity, addressing potential concerns about species substitution or adulteration in commercial insect food products.