The owner of a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Seoul, along with the company operating it, was fined a total of over 25 million won for using ants as food decoration, which is illegal in South Korea.
Foreign news agencies reported that the owner of Evett, a two-Michelin-star restaurant in Seoul, South Korea's capital, was fined 15 million won (about 360,000 baht), while the company running the restaurant was fined 10 million won (about 240,000 baht) for using ants to decorate desserts.
Ants are not among the 10 insect species legally approved for human consumption in South Korea, making Evett's actions a violation of the country's food sanitation laws.
Previously, prosecutors proposed a one-year prison sentence and a 20 million won fine for the owner, but the judge reduced the penalty to a 15 million won fine, considering the owner's confession and clean criminal record.
However, the judge also noted that beyond violating food standards, tests found the ants contained heavy metals exceeding safety limits, stating that "this offense cannot be overlooked."
The owner claimed to be unaware that using ants in food was prohibited in South Korea, citing that ants are consumed as food in other parts of the world.
The use of ants to decorate the sorbet dessert at Evett was revealed after the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety found online reviews with photos. The owner placed 3 to 5 ants on some dishes to provide a "sour taste" over nearly four years, using about 49,000 ants in total.
The ministry disclosed that most ants were imported from the United States, with some brought in from Thailand.
The owner argued that ants were used only in "small amounts" across the restaurant's 15-course menu and informed customers they could choose alternative toppings instead of ants.
Ants are considered food and sometimes regarded as delicacies in many cultures across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Red ant eggs and red ants are used in Thai and Cambodian cuisine, while in Colombia, queen ants are popular and valued comparably to caviar.
Source:bbc