SINGAPORE: From glutinous rice balls topped with juicy silkworms to crispy crickets adorning sushi rolls, diners in Singapore may soon experience a unique culinary adventure. According to sources, Singapore is set to approve the sale of certain insects as food as early as next month, with restaurants and potential farms having been briefed on the latest developments.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) first initiated a public consultation on the regulation of insects and insect products at the end of 2022. By April last year, the agency announced that 16 species of insects, including crickets, silkworms, and grasshoppers, would receive approval for consumption in the second half of 2023. However, the approvals have faced delays for over a year.
Earlier this year, the SFA mentioned in a forum letter to The Straits Times that it was finalizing the implementation details and aimed to introduce a regulatory framework in the first half of this year. The letter emphasized the need for regulatory measures to ensure food safety before insects are approved as food, given that the insect industry is nascent and insects are a new food item in Singapore.
“We will work closely with food business operators to ensure that they are able to meet SFA’s regulatory requirements before insects and insect products are permitted for sale as food for human consumption in Singapore,” the letter stated.
Restaurant House of Seafood is already preparing for the new regulations by familiarizing its chefs with handling insects as ingredients and ensuring they are safe to eat. CEO Francis Ng explained that this process involves thorough cleaning and toasting of the insects, following interim guidelines established in 2022.
Insect suppliers have also been informed by the SFA that the approval is imminent. Hiew Yuen Sheng, director and co-founder of Altimate Nutrition, a local start-up creating food products from insects, mentioned that the SFA has assured them that there will be no more delays.
Despite the upcoming approvals, some insect farms have already closed due to the prolonged wait. Hiew noted that a viable business model for insect farming requires cost-effectiveness and demand, which has been difficult to achieve without regulatory approval.
Altimate Nutrition collaborates with two farms in Thailand to rear crickets and silkworms, with new rules requiring overseas farms to meet industrial food safety standards and certification from local authorities.
Singapore farms will need to apply for licenses, with approvals expected to take from two weeks to a month. Aaron Chen, co-founder and managing partner of insect farm Werms.Inc, welcomed the new development, noting that the methodology for breeding insects for human consumption is similar to that for animals.
The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization promotes insect farming for human food and animal feed due to their benefits as a sustainable protein source. The European Union, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, and Thailand have also approved the consumption of certain insect species known for their nutritional value.
Crickets, grasshoppers, and mealworms are rich in protein and contain antioxidants and minerals such as iron, zinc, copper, and magnesium. However, stringent protocols will be necessary to ensure insects are safe for consumption, including controlled farming environments to prevent contamination and disease.
Assistant Professor Nalini Puniamoorthy from the National University of Singapore’s Department of Biological Sciences noted that while insects can carry common germs like salmonella or E. coli, proper rearing and processing can mitigate these risks. She emphasized that regulations need to be tailored to the specific insect species and the local environment.
Chen highlighted that while scaling up insect farming is feasible due to their rapid multiplication, finding the necessary space and labor might be challenging due to the nature of the job.
With regulations set to be tabled in parliament soon, Singapore is on the brink of embracing insects as a novel and sustainable food source, offering a new culinary experience for adventurous diners.