The owner of a South Korean Michelin-starred restaurant garnished a sorbet with black ants to “add a sour taste.” He should not have done that. Prosecutors in Seoul on Monday sought a one-year prison sentence for the unnamed man for violating food safety regulations.
Under South Korean law, only ten species of insects are approved for human consumption, including grasshoppers and mealworm larvae. However, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant is accused of serving banned ants imported from Thailand and the United States.
The defence argued that the ants were served only to guests who had given their consent in advance. A verdict is expected in September.
