South Korean restaurant owner faces prison over ant desserts

In South Korea, prosecutors demanded that the owner of a restaurant awarded two Michelin stars be sentenced to one year in prison in a case involving the use of ants as an ingredient in preparing desserts.

In addition, the prosecution insists on imposing a fine of 20 million South Korean won on the restaurant, which amounts to about 13,500 US dollars.

The basis for the criminal prosecution was the use of ants in dishes, despite the fact that this type of insect is not included in the list of products permitted for consumption in South Korea. The country's current legislation allows the use of only ten species of edible insects, including grasshoppers, locusts, and two-spotted crickets.

According to investigators, over approximately four years, the restaurant used about 49,000 ants imported from the United States and Thailand. According to law enforcement, the insects were used as a decorative element when serving certain desserts.

The investigation began after employees of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety noticed online reviews from visitors.

The photographs accompanying the publications showed dishes decorated with ants, which became the reason for the inspection.

During the investigation, as local media report, specialists also found that the ants used in the restaurant contained significantly higher levels of heavy metals compared to insects officially permitted for consumption. Thus, the concentration of heavy metals exceeded similar indicators in permitted species by approximately 55 times.

The restaurant owner acknowledged the use of ants but stated that they were present in only one of the fifteen dishes on the tasting menu. According to him, the insects were used exclusively as a topping for sorbet, and each visitor was offered the opportunity in advance to refuse this ingredient and choose alternative dessert decorations, including edible flowers or fermented vinegar.

The defense also pointed out that such gastronomic practices exist outside South Korea as well. According to the owner, ants are used in the menus of several restaurants in Australia, Denmark, and the United Kingdom, and about 60 percent of his establishment's guests voluntarily agreed to try dishes with this ingredient.

South Korean authorities, when deciding on the admission of insects for use in the food industry, evaluate several factors at once, including product safety, possible toxicity, nutritional value, and the possibility of growing and processing insects in accordance with sanitary requirements.

The name of the restaurant and the name of its owner are not disclosed in the court case materials. It is only known that the establishment has two Michelin stars. Currently, ten restaurants located in Seoul have this status.

The court is expected to announce the final decision in the case on September 2.