Singapore’s culinary scene is buzzing with excitement as the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) announced on July 8 the approval of 16 insect species for consumption. This list includes various types of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms, and silkworms, making insect-based food more accessible than ever.
For many industry players in Singapore, this is a long-awaited milestone. They have been experimenting with and developing innovative insect-based food recipes and products in anticipation. The journey began in 2022 when SFA started public consultations about allowing these 16 insect species for human consumption.
Insects, praised by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation for their high protein content and low greenhouse gas emissions, are seen as a sustainable alternative to traditional meat. Although SFA initially planned to approve these insects for consumption by mid-2023, the timeline was extended to early 2024, further intensifying the buzz around insect-based food.
A diverse selection of insect-based food
House of Seafood’s CEO, Francis Ng, is particularly enthusiastic. He has crafted a menu featuring 30 insect-infused dishes, providing customers with a diverse range of insect-based food choices. Among the approved species, superworms, crickets, and silkworm pupae will enhance traditional seafood dishes like salted egg crab.
Before the official approval, House of Seafood received five to six daily inquiries about its insect-based food dishes. “Many of our customers, especially those under 30, are very adventurous and want to see the whole insect in the dish,” Ng noted. He expects that these insect dishes could boost his revenue by about 30%.
In another corner of the industry, Javier Yip, founder of the logistics company Declarators, has secured a license to import insects from farms in China, Thailand, and Vietnam. His new venture, InsectYumz, will offer a variety of insect-based food snacks, including original and tom yum-flavored crickets and mealworms, as well as cricket protein powder. These products will soon be available on his website, e-commerce platforms, and in supermarkets and restaurants across Singapore.
Yip’s inspiration comes from personal experience. “I enjoy eating them; the first time I tried an insect was at a shop in Tampines in the 1990s,” he shared. Leveraging his logistics expertise, he aims to bring these unique insect-based food snacks to adventurous eaters, especially young consumers.
Food Safety and Labeling Requirements
On July 8, the SFA announced that individuals or businesses intending to import or farm insects for human consumption or livestock feed must adhere to specific guidelines. These guidelines include providing documentary evidence that the insects are raised in regulated establishments with proper food safety controls and are not harvested from the wild.
For insects not included in SFA’s list of 16 approved species, an evaluation process is required to ensure they are safe for consumption. Additionally, companies selling pre-packaged food containing insects must clearly label their products, enabling consumers to make informed purchasing decisions. All insect-based food products will undergo food safety testing. Products that do not meet SFA’s standards will not be permitted for sale.
With such diverse offerings, Singapore’s food scene is set to take a bold leap into the future, transforming insect-based food from novelty items into mainstream cuisine.
Source: here
Also read: As Food Prices Spike, Here’s Warren Buffett’s Top 6 Tips To Beat Inflation
Discussion about this post