The Singaporean government approved 16 types of insects, including locusts and mealworms, as food for human consumption.
According to CNA’s recent report, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) issued guidelines allowing the import, sale, and consumption of 16 types of insects.
The 16 insect species that are officially recognized as food include crickets, locusts, mealworms, superworms, grasshoppers, silkworms, moths, and honey bees.
“Insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as feed for animals producing food,” the SFA announced. Those who wish to farm insects must comply with food safety regulations and provide proof of documentation, and collecting insects from the wild for consumption is not permitted.
Insects must be examined to ensure a history of human consumption, no contaminants were added during the farming or processing stages, and the final product is safe to eat before they are categorized as edible.
The guidelines they announced aim to strengthen food security, with only 1% of the country’s total land suitable for farming or livestock and 90% of consumed food imported. Concerns about food supply increase during geopolitical unrest.
South Korea has already recognized insects as food, such as locusts, white-spotted flower chafers, edible silkworms, darkling beetle larvae, twin-spotted crickets, rhinoceros beetle larvae, white-spotted flower chafer larvae, Zophobas morio larvae powder, and pupae of the Asian giant hornet.
Some Southeast Asian countries like Thailand and Cambodia commonly use ants, crickets, and spiders as food.
Most Commented