South Korean Restaurant Owner Risks Jail Term for Serving Ants Menu

A South Korean court has fixed September 2 for judgement in a case against a restaurant owner, accused of using ants to prepare meals for customers.

Prosecutors are seeking a one-year jail term for the owner of the Michelin-starred restaurant for breach of nutrition regulations, as ants are not among ten insect species approved for human consumption under the South Korean laws.

The authorities also asked the court to impose a fine of approximately $13,510 against the restaurant, which holds two Michelin stars.

The owner admitted to serving ants but argued that they were used in a "small part" of the restaurant's 15-course menu – as a topping for sorbets – and that diners were told they could opt for non-ant toppings.

The case came to light after officials from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found reviews that diners had posted online with photographs of dishes sprinkled with ants.

Local reports indicate that health authorities found that the restaurant used ants that "contained up to 55 times more heavy metals than typical edible insects".

Investigators estimate that about forty-nine thousand ants were imported into South Korea, from the United States and Thailand, and used in several dishes over four years.

South Korean authorities consider several criteria in deciding whether insects can be approved as food. These include food safety risks, toxicity, nutritional value, and whether they can be bred and processed hygienically.