This city-state in Southeast Asia is renowned for its warm embrace of cuisines from around the globe, blending them into something uniquely its own—delicious and distinctive.
Not wanting to be left behind, Singapore has jumped on a trend people worldwide are following, largely as a way to reduce emissions and address the climate crisis.
Which Insects Will Be on Singaporeans’ Plates?
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) has approved the import and consumption of 16 types of insects.
“The SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products that belong to species with low regulatory concern,” the agency said. Its experts say these insects and their processed products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed.
The list includes crickets, locusts, grasshoppers, beetles (including rhinoceros beetles), mealworms, waxworms, silkworms, and honeybee larvae. Some of these groups are represented by multiple species.
For insect-eating enthusiasts, this is exciting news. “Now they have such a large list of species approved for human consumption,” Australian entomologist and dietitian Skye Blackburn told The Guardian. A longtime advocate for incorporating insects into diets, Blackburn said the move could make Singapore even more attractive to tourists.
Some environmentalists might be concerned that honeybees made the list. Blackburn said the approval focuses on drones, the male bees, not the worker females. Drones are often where Varroa mites settle, and those mites can threaten entire colonies.
“Drones are used as a food source because they are a byproduct of the hive,” the scientist added.
The SFA document clarifies that these edible insects cannot be harvested from the wild. Their journey to restaurant plates must be accompanied by “documentary evidence that the insects are raised in facilities controlled by a competent authority.”
Bon Appétit!
The list of imported insect-based products allowed in Singapore includes insect oil and pasta; chocolate and other confectionery items containing up to 20 percent insects; salted, brined, smoked, and dried bee larvae; pickled beetle larvae; and silkworm pupae.
One well-known seafood restaurant chain in the country has already developed 30 dishes featuring insects. Among them are sushi topped with silkworms and crickets, salted crab eggs with superworms, and meatballs garnished with worms.
Eating insects is far from a new idea. It has been embraced in more than 100 countries worldwide, with Mexico, Thailand, and India among the largest consumers.
Many countries see a shift toward insect-based foods as a potential response to the climate crisis. “Insects are an undervalued source of protein and a way to combat climate change,” delegates at the World Economic Forum concluded in 2022.
