Courtesy Hiru News

Sixteen species of insects, including crickets, locusts and silkworms, have been approved as food in Singapore, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) said on Monday (Jul 8).

With immediate effect, SFA will allow the import of insects and insect products belonging to species that have been assessed to be of low regulatory concern,” the agency said in a circular addressed to processed food and animal feed traders.

These insects and insect products can be used for human consumption or as animal feed for food-producing animals.

SFA first conducted a public consultation on the regulation of insects and insect products in end-2022.

In April last year, the agency said that 16 species of insects would receive the green light for consumption in the second half of 2023, but the decision was pushed back.

Earlier this year, SFA, in a forum letter reply in The Straits Times, said it was finalising the implementation details and aimed to introduce a regulatory framework in the first half of this year.