The owner of a Michelin two-star restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, is facing prosecution for serving desserts decorated with ants imported from Thailand and the US.
According to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, officials became aware of the dishes after seeing photographs of ant-topped desserts posted on social media. Investigators later identified the restaurant, although its name and exact location have not been disclosed.
South Korean food regulations currently permit only 10 insect species for use in food sold commercially, including grasshoppers and crickets.
Before an insect can be approved for consumption, it must undergo assessments covering food safety, toxicity, nutritional value and hygiene standards for farming and processing.
Prosecutors allege the restaurant owner imported ant products from Thailand and the US from 2021 onwards and used them as garnishes on sorbet and other desserts for nearly four years.
According to the prosecution, the restaurant served more than 12,200 portions of ant-topped sorbet during that period, generating about 120 million won (approximately 2.73 million baht) in revenue. Investigators also allege about 49,000 ants were used in the dishes.
Government officials further claimed the ants contained heavy metal levels 55 times higher than those found in insect species approved for consumption, raising food safety concerns.
The defendant reportedly admitted most of the allegations but disputed the prosecution’s estimate of how many ants had been used.
According to prosecutors, the defendant argued that only a small quantity of ants was added to dishes served as part of a 15-course tasting menu.
The defendant also said customers were given the option to decline the ingredient and claimed that only about 60% chose to try dishes containing ants. On that basis, the defendant argued that the total number of ants used was significantly lower than reported by prosecutors.
The defendant further noted that restaurants in countries including Denmark, the United States and Australia also use ants as culinary ingredients.
Prosecutors have asked the court to sentence the defendant to one year in prison and impose a fine of 20 million won (about 460,000 baht) for the offences.
According to the BBC, the court is scheduled to deliver its verdict on September 2.
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