Owner of two-Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea faces jail for serving ants
The owner of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant could face prison time for serving dishes garnished with dried ants, an ingredient not approved for human consumption in South Korea.
Prosecutors on July 20 sought a one-year prison term and a fine of 20 million Korean won (~P834,000) for the owner of a two-Michelin-starred restaurant who is allegedly serving dried ant products imported from the US and Thailand, per reports by local outlets The Korea Herald and Korea JoongAng Daily.
According to reports, the owner, whose identity was not disclosed, allegedly used dried ants as garnishes on dishes served at his restaurant since 2021.
Prosecutors alleged that the restaurant earned about 120 million won (P5 million) by serving sorbet topped with ants more than 12,200 times, using an estimated 49,000 ants.
South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety does not recognize ants as one of the 10 insect species approved for human consumption, meaning they cannot be used as a food ingredient. The restaurant owner and the company have been indicted for violations under the Food Sanitation Act.
According to the Korea JoongAng Daily, health authorities submitted a report to prosecutors showing that the ants used by the restaurant contained heavy metal levels up to 55 times higher than those found in insect species approved for human consumption.
Although the owner acknowledged the allegations, he challenged the prosecution's figures, saying only around 60% of diners chose dishes containing ants, contrary to prosecutors' assumption that every customer was served them. He also maintained that the ants appeared only in one course of the restaurant's 15-course tasting menu and pointed out that restaurants in countries including Denmark, the United Kingdom, and Australia also incorporate ants into their dishes.
Per the reports, the court is scheduled to issue its ruling on Sept. 2.
