Singapore approves 16 insect species 'safe for human consumption' as protein alternative

Lester Kiewit speaks to Dr Vusi Mshayisa, a lecturer and curriculum officer in the Department of Food Science and Technology at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT).

The government of Singapore, along with Singapore's Food Agency (SFA), has approved 16 species of insects as safe for human consumption in various stages of growth. 

In the adult stage are four crickets, two grasshoppers, a locust and a honeybee. In the larval stage are three kinds of mealworm, silkworms, a white grub and a giant rhino beetle grub, as well as two species of moth.

It comes as the Food And Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations continues to promote insect consumption as an environmentally friendly way to get protein in your diet – for both humans and their livestock since the global population is set to increase by nine billion people. 

A Singaporean restaurant chain called House of Seafood is already gearing up to serve 30 insect-based dishes, the Straits Times reports, including sushi garnished with silkworms and crickets, salted egg crab with superworms, and 'Minty Meatball Mayhem,' meatballs topped with worms.

Among the insect products that Singaporean authorities have said can be imported are: insect oil, uncooked pasta with insects as an added ingredient, chocolate and other confectionery containing no more than 20% insect, salted, brined, smoked and dried bee larva, marinated beetle grub, and silkworm pupa.

Singapore is the latest country out of 128 countries to add insects to their dietary list, according to a study published this year in the journal Scientific Reports, which found 2,205 species are eaten worldwide. Most of these species are in Asian countries, followed by Mexico, and African countries.

Mshayisa has been researching ways of extracting edible proteins from insects and confirms the same. 

"There's a global shift towards sustainable sources of protein and insects is one of the alternatives that's been proposed to meet that demand."

- Dr Vusi Mshayisa, Department of Food Science and Technology - CPUT

Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation.