In brief
South Korean prosecutors are charging a Michelin‑starred chef with food‑safety violations after discovering that his restaurant used 49,000 imported ants as a dessert garnish. The ants, which are not on the approved list of edible insects, contained heavy metals far above safe limits. The owner defended the use as a small part of a 15‑course menu, offering diners alternatives. The court will decide in September.
South Korean prosecutors are seeking a one‑year jail sentence and a 20 million won fine for the owner of a two‑Michelin‑starred restaurant accused of using ants as a dessert garnish.
Ants are not among the ten insect species approved for human consumption under South Korean law, which instead includes species such as grasshoppers, locusts and two‑spotted crickets.
The restaurant owner claimed that ants were only a small part of a 15‑course menu, serving them as a topping on sorbets, and that diners could choose alternatives.
Health authorities found that the ants—imported from the United States and Thailand—contained up to fifty‑five times more heavy metals than typical edible insects.
Investigators estimate that some 49,000 ants were used over four years of operation, raising concerns over food safety regulations for insects.
The court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on 2 September.
Although ants are eaten as a delicacy in many cultures, the legal status of insects varies worldwide, and not all countries approve their use in dining.
