Edible insects: Critical to have measures against ‘inadvertent consumption’

READING the article “Crispy crawlies on the menu” (BT, July 12), I was amazed that insect food technology has made such tremendous advances as to put a new spin to the old adage that one man’s meat is another man’s poison.

I have no doubt the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) is extremely vigilant in regulating this novel class of food. SFA guidelines include requiring documentary proof that the insect products are manufactured in regulated premises with food safety controls and not harvested from the wild. Insects species not on the approved list have to undergo evaluation to ensure they are safe to eat.

Labelling packaging

Companies selling pre-packaged food containing insects will also be required to label their packaging as such. Insect products will be subjected to SFA’s inspection and surveillance, including sampling to ensure compliance with food safety regulations.