Singapore's food watchdog said on Monday it has approved about 16 species of insects such as crickets, grasshoppers and locusts for human consumption, adding to the internationally recognized menu of global foods, including Chinese and Indian dishes, in the multi-ethnic city. -state.
The long-awaited announcement comes to the delight of industry players who have been adapting sourcing and sourcing in Singapore to insects grown in China, Thailand and Vietnam, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Approved insects include several species of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms and silkworms.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said those intending to import or grow insects for human consumption or livestock feed must comply with SFA guidelines, including providing documentary evidence that the imported insects are grown in regulated establishments with food safety controls and are not harvested in the wild.
Insects that are not on the SFA's list of 16 will have to undergo evaluation to ensure the species are safe to consume, the agency said.
Companies that sell prepackaged foods containing insects will also be required to label their packaging so that consumers can make informed decisions about purchasing the product.
Insect products will also be subject to food safety testing and those that do not meet the agency's standards will not be able to be sold, the SFA said.
A UN report on the safety of lab-grown meats cites Singapore, the only country that sells them, as a case study.
The SFA launched public consultations on the possibility of allowing the consumption of 16 species of insects in October 2022.
In April 2023, the SFA said it would give the green light for these species to be consumed in the second half of 2023. This deadline was later pushed back to the first half of 2024.
Reporting on the announcement, the newspaper said House of Seafood restaurant CEO Francis Ng is preparing a 30-course insect-infused menu.
Of the 16 approved species, the restaurant will offer superworms, crickets and silkworm pupae on its menu.
Insects will be added to some of your seafood dishes, like salted egg crab, for example.
Before the approval, the restaurant had received five to six calls a day asking about its insect-based dishes and when customers can start ordering them, Ng said.
“Many of our clients, especially young people under 30, are very daring. They want to be able to see the entire insect on the plate. That's why I give them a lot of options to choose from,” said Ng, quoted by the Singapore newspaper.
He predicts that sales of insect-based dishes will increase his income by about 30 percent.
Javier Yip, founder of logistics company Declarators, has set up another business to import insects for sale in Singapore, offering a variety of insect snacks, from white grubs to silkworms, as well as crickets and mealworms.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has promoted insects as a more sustainable alternative to meat, as they are high in protein and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions when grown.
Having already obtained a license to import these insects to Singapore, Yip is working with farms in China, Thailand and Vietnam to supply these insects to the local market.
Japanese startup Morus is looking to launch a range of silkworm-based products here, aimed at both high-end restaurants and consumers as they have high incomes and are health-conscious, said Ryo Sato, its chief executive. .
Its products include a pure silkworm powder, which can be used as a food ingredient, along with matcha powder, protein powder and protein bars, which are high in protein and amino acids, along with other key nutrients such as vitamins. , fiber and minerals.
Recognizing that Singapore consumers do not have a history of consuming insects, Morus will also hold more pop-up events and workshops for consumers, Sato said.
The long-awaited announcement comes to the delight of industry players who have been adapting sourcing and sourcing in Singapore to insects grown in China, Thailand and Vietnam, The Straits Times newspaper reported.
Approved insects include several species of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms and silkworms.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said those intending to import or grow insects for human consumption or livestock feed must comply with SFA guidelines, including providing documentary evidence that the imported insects are grown in regulated establishments with food safety controls and are not harvested in the wild.
Insects that are not on the SFA's list of 16 will have to undergo evaluation to ensure the species are safe to consume, the agency said.
Companies that sell prepackaged foods containing insects will also be required to label their packaging so that consumers can make informed decisions about purchasing the product.
Insect products will also be subject to food safety testing and those that do not meet the agency's standards will not be able to be sold, the SFA said.
A UN report on the safety of lab-grown meats cites Singapore, the only country that sells them, as a case study.
The SFA launched public consultations on the possibility of allowing the consumption of 16 species of insects in October 2022.
In April 2023, the SFA said it would give the green light for these species to be consumed in the second half of 2023. This deadline was later pushed back to the first half of 2024.
Reporting on the announcement, the newspaper said House of Seafood restaurant CEO Francis Ng is preparing a 30-course insect-infused menu.
Of the 16 approved species, the restaurant will offer superworms, crickets and silkworm pupae on its menu.
Insects will be added to some of your seafood dishes, like salted egg crab, for example.
Before the approval, the restaurant had received five to six calls a day asking about its insect-based dishes and when customers can start ordering them, Ng said.
“Many of our clients, especially young people under 30, are very daring. They want to be able to see the entire insect on the plate. That's why I give them a lot of options to choose from,” said Ng, quoted by the Singapore newspaper.
He predicts that sales of insect-based dishes will increase his income by about 30 percent.
Javier Yip, founder of logistics company Declarators, has set up another business to import insects for sale in Singapore, offering a variety of insect snacks, from white grubs to silkworms, as well as crickets and mealworms.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has promoted insects as a more sustainable alternative to meat, as they are high in protein and produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions when grown.
Having already obtained a license to import these insects to Singapore, Yip is working with farms in China, Thailand and Vietnam to supply these insects to the local market.
Japanese startup Morus is looking to launch a range of silkworm-based products here, aimed at both high-end restaurants and consumers as they have high incomes and are health-conscious, said Ryo Sato, its chief executive. .
Its products include a pure silkworm powder, which can be used as a food ingredient, along with matcha powder, protein powder and protein bars, which are high in protein and amino acids, along with other key nutrients such as vitamins. , fiber and minerals.
Recognizing that Singapore consumers do not have a history of consuming insects, Morus will also hold more pop-up events and workshops for consumers, Sato said.
