Today/CNA-July 8
Sixteen species of insects, including crickets, locusts and silkworms, have been approved as food in Singapore, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Monday (July 8).
“With immediate effect, SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products belonging to species that have been assessed to be of low regulatory concern,” the agency said in a circular addressed to processed food and animal feed traders. “These insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed for food-producing animals.” SFA said it has developed an insect regulatory framework that establishes guidelines for insects to be approved as food, “as the insect industry is nascent and insects are a new food item here”. These guidelines apply to businesses intending to import, farm or process insects into food or animal feed. They stipulate that the insect species must be assessed to have a history of human consumption, contaminants must not be introduced in the farming and processing of insects and insect products, are farmed in regulated establishments with food safety controls, are not harvested from the wild and the final product must be safe for consumption. Insects outside of the 16 approved species have to undergo evaluation to ensure that they are safe to consume, SFA added. While there are currently no international standards for the sale and consumption of insects as food or animal feed, SFA’s guidelines “are developed following a thorough scientific review taking reference from countries and regions that have allowed the consumption of certain insects as food”. The European Union and countries like Australia, New Zealand, South Korea and Thailand have allowed the consumption of certain insect species that tick several boxes for nutrition. The farming of insects for human food and for animal feed has been promoted by the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization for their benefits as a sustainable form of protein. Crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, for instance, are rich in protein. These insects also contain plenty of antioxidants and minerals including iron, zinc, copper and magnesium. Read more at: https://www.todayonline.com/news/grasshoppers-and-superworms-among-16-insect-species-approved-food-singapore-2454566
