Singapore’s House of Seafood restaurant has made headlines by adding insects to its menu, following recent approval from the city-state’s food authority. This month, the food authority sanctioned 16 species of insects, including crickets and grasshoppers, for human consumption after thorough evaluation. Singapore’s stringent food safety regulations had previously restricted such ingredients, but the new guidelines now permit their use in culinary creations. The House of Seafood has embraced this change, serving innovative dishes such as fish-head curry with crickets and tofu with bugs, generating significant interest among patrons.

The restaurant has developed a menu featuring 30 insect-based dishes, which are currently available as complimentary samples until importers receive official approval. The House of Seafood intends to highlight the diverse applications of insects, which are high in protein and may help Singapore meet its goal of producing 30% of its nutritional needs domestically by 2030. Food security expert Paul Teng supports this initiative, emphasizing that insects could be a sustainable protein source if consumer resistance is overcome. The United Nations has recognized insects as a viable solution for global food security issues. Insects must be farmed in controlled environments and cannot be collected from the wild to ensure safety. Although insect ingredients are currently more expensive than traditional foods, there is increasing local interest. The true test will be whether insects become a regular part of the Singaporean diet or if demand wanes over time.