The owner of a Michelin-starred restaurant in South Korea is facing up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $13,510 after the eatery allegedly served ants atop its sorbets.The proprietor of the Seoul restaurant, not identified in court documents, acknowledged serving ants, which are not among the insect species approved for human consumption under South Korea's Food Sanitation Act.The law approves 10 other insect species for human consumption — but not ants, the BBC reported.The country's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety discovered the violation through customers' social media posts and online reviews mentioning ants, according to reports.CYCLOSPORA OUTBREAK: IS IT STILL SAFE TO EAT AT RESTAURANTS? HERE'S WHAT TO KNOWGrasshoppers, mealworms, silkworm pupae, locusts and two-spotted crickets are among the insects the government has approved as food, based on health and nutrition criteria.A South Korean restaurant owner is facing jail time for serving ants as a garnish on dessert dishes.
(iStock)Prosecutors allege the ants served at the restaurant contained heavy metal levels up to 55 times the maximum limit allowed for other edible insects.They accuse the restaurant of importing dried ants and using approximately 49,000 of them in dishes since 2021.Defense attorneys disputed that figure, according to The Chosun Daily. Ants were offered as an optional garnish for the sorbet, the restaurant owner's defense argued, and only 60% of diners chose them over other options, including fermented vinegar and edible flowers, the South Korean newspaper reported.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERThe court is expected to render a verdict in September.Globally, the edible insect market is expanding, as Fox News Digital previously reported.Insects are eaten widely around the world, and the global market for insect-based foods is predicted to expand.
(iStock)The market is estimated to grow from $1.73 billion in 2025 to $13.23 billion by 2034, driven by growing in...