The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea is facing charges for allegedly serving his customers crawly critters on their desserts. The unidentified restaurant violated the country’s Food Sanitation Act, serving ants atop sorbets, which are not approved for human consumption by law. South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety identified the violation through social media posts from customers as well as online reviews. Grasshoppers, mealworms, silkworm pupae, locusts and two-spotted crickets are among the approved list of insects. Ants are not included in this due to their high heavy metal concentration. Prosecutors identified the ants as having 55 times the allowed amount for edible insects, and also alleged that 49,000 ants had been served since 2021. The defense said the ants were an optional topping on the dessert dish and were selected by only about 60 percent of customers. The owner of the restaurant could face a fine of up to $13,500 and a year’s prison sentence as he awaits September’s verdict.
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