Singapore approves 16 insects for human consumption: Here is the full list
Honeybee fried, sushi with silkworm, and crispy chili crickets¡ªthese could be some of the dishes on the menu the next time you visit a restaurant in Singapore. That is because the country has allowed human consumption of some insects that have been deemed safe. The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on July 8 that it has approved 16 species of insects for consumption.
Insects approved for consumption?
The insects include various species of crickets, grasshoppers, locusts, mealworms, and silkworms. According to the SFA guidelines, the consumption of 16 insect species has been approved in various stages of growth.
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In the adult stage are four crickets, two grasshoppers, a locust, and a honeybee. In the larval stage are three kinds of mealworms, a white grub, a giant rhino beetle grub, and two species of moth. Silkworm moths and silkworms (different stages of the same species) can both be eaten.
Import of insect products
SFA has also allowed the import of insect products like insect oil, uncooked pasta with insects as an added ingredient, chocolate and other confectionery containing no more than 20% insect, salted, brined, smoked and dried bee larvae, marinated beetle grub, and silkworm pupa.
Insects as food
Insects as food are not a new concept and have been practiced in many countries around the world, including India by some communities. In 2013, the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization had said that two billion people in Asia, Africa, and Latin America consume insects.?
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The FAO has been promoting edible insects as a potential source for conventional production of protein, either for direct human consumption or indirectly in recomposed foods.
Why world should eat more insects
"Edible insects contain high-quality protein, vitamins, and amino acids for humans. Insects have a high food conversion rate, e.g., crickets need six times less feed than cattle, four times less than sheep, and twice less than pigs and broiler chickens to produce the same amount of protein. Besides, they emit less greenhouse gases and ammonia than conventional livestock," the FAO had said in its report.
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