Eating Bugs In S’pore: Here Are The Nutritional Values Of Insects Like Mealworms, Crickets & Grasshoppers
Some 16 species of bugs like mealworms, crickets and grasshoppers were earmarked for approval, which was initially slated for the second half of 2023. But that was pushed to this year, due to more time needed for SFA to “put in place the regulatory levers… to safeguard food safety”.
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Can eat meh?
While eating insects is not a thing in Singapore (yet), they are a popular choice of food in neighbouring countries like Thailand and Cambodia, where you can buy crispy deep-fried tarantulas or even scorpions from streetside stalls.
The bugs that could potentially be served legally in Singapore after SFA approval are:
- House cricket
- Banded cricket
- Common cricket
- Field cricket
- African migratory locust
- American desert locust
- Grasshopper
- Superworm
- Mealworm
- Lesser mealworm
- Greater wax mealworm
- Lesser wax mealworm
- Silk moth/ silkworm
- Whitegrub
- Giant Rhino beetle grub
- Western honey bee
Rich in protein
Certain insect species, like crickets, grasshoppers and mealworms, offer some of the highest levels of protein per 100g. For instance, eating six crickets (which is around 100g) is reportedly enough to meet an individual’s daily protein requirement.
The amount of protein from six crickets is also more than twice of what you’d get in a similar serving of chicken breast meat. Something to, er, chew on for gym bros doing their meal prep.
Like grasshoppers, which has five times more antioxidants such as Vitamin E than a glass of OJ. Cafe brunch will never be the same again, we guess.
Measures taken to make insects safe for consumption
Like all other ingredients in Singapore, the insects will be subjected to stringent protocols to ensure that they are safe for human consumption.
This includes regulating their sources, which are limited to a controlled farm environment. Bugs caught in the wild are prohibited due to the risk of diseases, parasites and contaminants.
Local insect farms, which currently breed bugs for animals and pets, are tapped to sell insects for human consumption, though the farming criteria will be different from pet food.
What the bugs themselves consume will also be taken into consideration, as it is not allowed for them to feed on ‘dirty’ things like manure and rotten food. Overseas farms exporting insects to Singapore will be required to meet local regulations and have the relevant licences too.
Photos: CNA
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