South Korea Michelin restaurant fined for serving ants in desserts

A two-star Michelin restaurant in South Korea has been fined following a scandal involving the use of prohibited insects in desserts. Investigations revealed that the owner used approximately 49,000 black ants to provide a sour flavor to certain dishes over a four-year period. The ants were imported from the United States and Thailand.

South Korean food safety regulations permit only ten specific types of insects for human consumption, and ants are not among them. Beyond the regulatory violation, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found that the ants contained heavy metal levels up to 55 times higher than the maximum allowed limit for edible insects.

The Seoul Western District Court issued a fine to the owner, identified by the surname Kim. While prosecutors had sought a one-year prison sentence and a larger fine, the court noted the owner's admission of guilt and lack of prior criminal record when determining the penalty.