The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovers restaurant using ants under the pretext of 'sourness'
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) identified a restaurant that served dishes garnished with ants under the pretext of adding 'sourness.'
This restaurant was found to sell dishes using ants, which are not permitted as food ingredients.
On the 10th, the MFDS announced that it had referred the restaurant owner, identified as A, and the business to the prosecution for violating the Food Sanitation Act.
The MFDS began its investigation after confirming through blogs and social media that the restaurant was selling dishes with ants on top.
Currently, in the Republic of Korea, only 10 types of edible insects, including locusts and mealworms, are recognized as safe for consumption.
Using any other insects in food products constitutes a violation of the Food Sanitation Act, which can result in imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million KRW.
According to the investigation results, A imported two types of dried ant products from the United States and Thailand via international mail from April 2021 to November of last year. The ants imported in this manner were used in dishes until January of this year. The restaurant reportedly generated sales of approximately 120 million KRW purely from menus that contained 3 to 5 ants per dish.
MFDS stated, "To use ants as food ingredients, the establishment must follow the procedures for temporary standards and specifications recognition by the MFDS in accordance with food sanitation regulations." The MFDS has requested that the relevant authority take administrative actions against the restaurant that failed to follow these procedures.
Additionally, the MFDS emphasized, "Anyone can easily verify the ingredients that can be used in food products on the MFDS website, so it is especially crucial for business operators to check whether the ingredients they purchase or use are permissible for food products beforehand."
Image source: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, photographic materials for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank
