<span class="word">Yellow <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Mealworm (<em><span class="word italic">Tenebrio <span class="word italic">molitor</em>) <span class="word">2020–<span class="word">2025 <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Evidence <span class="word">for <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Circular <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Bioeconomy <span class="word">and <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Key <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Sustainability <span class="word"><span class="changedDisabled">Constraints
This article has been Reviewed by the following groups
Discuss this preprint
Start a discussion What are Sciety discussions?Listed in
- Evaluated articles (Peer Community in Animal Science)
Abstract
The yellow mealworm, Tenebrio molitor (T. molitor), is increasingly considered a promising protein and lipid source for circular bioeconomy strategies in food and feed. Interest is driven by the need to diversify protein supplies and reduce environmental footprints, but feasibility depends on safety, regulation, and scalable operating conditions. Alongside industrial systems, low-input models adapted to arid conditions have been proposed, yet evidence remains heterogeneous and context-dependent. This review covers developments between 2020 and 2025, a period that coincides with accelerated EU novel food assessments and a rapid expansion of applied research on processing, safety, and valorization, with a focus on scientific progress and regulatory approvals such as those issued by EFSA in Europe. Several new applications have emerged, including enzymatic hydrolysates, lipid recovery, and the extraction of chitosan from exuviae. Uses now span animal nutrition, biodegradable materials, and bioactive food ingredients. Life-cycle assessments often report lower greenhouse gas emissions and land use than conventional livestock, but outcomes are sensitive to energy inputs, feed substrates, and system boundaries. Key constraints include variable frass composition, allergenicity and cross-reactivity risks, regulatory and compliance constraints, and mixed consumer acceptance. For research, priority needs include longer-term safety datasets and field-relevant validation of bioactive claims beyond in vitro assays. For policy and industry, priorities include harmonised criteria for substrate safety and traceability, and transparent supply-chain controls that enable reproducible quality at scale.
Article activity feed
-
The general context of the study of Debache (2026) is the growing interest in sustainable protein sources and circular bioeconomy systems. Insects, and especially Tenebrio molitor, are increasingly studied as alternatives for food, feed, and resource recovery, with potential to reduce environmental impacts compared to conventional livestock.
I am particularly interested in how this species can contribute to circular systems by converting low-value residues into useful products such as protein, lipids, and co-products. This is an important topic for both research and practical applications.
This article provides a broad and updated narrative review of recent developments between 2020 and 2025. It covers different aspects, including regulatory issues, safety, environmental performance, nutrition, feed use, and emerging applications. The …
The general context of the study of Debache (2026) is the growing interest in sustainable protein sources and circular bioeconomy systems. Insects, and especially Tenebrio molitor, are increasingly studied as alternatives for food, feed, and resource recovery, with potential to reduce environmental impacts compared to conventional livestock.
I am particularly interested in how this species can contribute to circular systems by converting low-value residues into useful products such as protein, lipids, and co-products. This is an important topic for both research and practical applications.
This article provides a broad and updated narrative review of recent developments between 2020 and 2025. It covers different aspects, including regulatory issues, safety, environmental performance, nutrition, feed use, and emerging applications. The manuscript also discusses important constraints that affect scalability, such as energy demand, variability of substrates, and consumer acceptance.
A notable aspect of this work is that it considers both industrial production systems and low-input, decentralized models, including those relevant to arid regions. This adds an interesting perspective that is not always included in similar reviews.
In simple terms, the main message of the study is that T. molitor has strong potential within circular bioeconomy, but this potential depends on several technical, economic, and regulatory factors. Some applications, such as animal feed, are more advanced, while others, such as bioactive compounds, still need further validation.
The manuscript was improved during the revision process, especially in terms of structure, clarity, and synthesis. The content is now better organized and easier to follow.
I decided to recommend this article because it gives a clear and useful overview of the current state of the field, identifies key constraints, and helps to understand where future research is needed. Overall, it is a solid and relevant contribution.
References
K. Debache (2026) Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) 2020–2025 evidence for circular bioeconomy and key sustainability constraints. Preprints.org, ver.4 peer-reviewed and recommended by PCI Animal Science. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202509.0944.v4
-
-
-
-