Edible insects are part of traditional foods from southeast Asia (Image used for representational purposes)
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) on Monday approved 16 species of insects including various species of crickets, mealworms, grasshoppers, locusts and silkworms for human consumption. The announcement has delighted industry players who have been gearing up for this long-awaited moment.

”With immediate effect, SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products belonging to species that have been assessed to be of low regulatory concern. These insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed for food-producing animals,” the agency said in a circular addressed to processed food and animal feed traders. 

According to the Straits Times, suppliers and caterers in Singapore have been gearing up to source insects from regulated farms in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

SFA guidelines mandate that imported or locally farmed insects must adhere to strict food safety controls, ensuring they are not harvested from the wild. Insects that are not on SFA’s list of 16 will have to undergo an evaluation to ensure that the species are safe to consume, the agency said.

Further, companies selling pre-packaged food containing insects will also be required to label their packaging as such. Those that are found to be non-compliant with its food safety regulations will not be allowed for sale.

Restaurants gearing up

Meanwhile, several restaurants and cafes are gearing up to prepare new dishes made of insects that they hope will increase their sales and attract customers. House of Seafood restaurant’s chief executive Francis Ng said he is cooking up a menu of 30 insect-infused dishes. The insects will be added to some of its seafood dishes, such as salted egg crab, for example.

Mr Ng said that his restaurant had been getting five to six calls daily inquiring about its insect-based dishes, and when customers can start ordering them.

“Many of our customers, especially young people who are under 30 years old, are very daring. They want to be able to see the whole insect in the dish. So I’m giving them many options to choose from,” he said.

He anticipates that sales from insect-based dishes will increase his revenue by around 30 per cent.

According to Channel News Asia, crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, are rich in protein. These insects also contain plenty of antioxidants and minerals including iron, zinc, copper and magnesium.