Superworm (Zophobas morio): Capabilities and Challenges to Promote Circular Economy

Document Type : Original Article

Author
Associate, Department of Entomology, Takestan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Takestan, Iran.
10.22034/eiat.2025.250845
Abstract
In recent years, the circular economy concept has attracted much attention due to its potential importance in sustainable development goals, especially through reconciling economic growth with environmental protection. The use of insects in circular production systems is a good example of this concept. Because insects can convert a wide range of organic waste and by-products of the food industry into materials that can be returned to the consumption cycle. This article examines the ability of superworm larvae (Zophobas morio) in rotational production systems by examining its efficiency and application in various industries such as agriculture, food and environment. Superworm production has little environmental impact due to the few resources required for their cultivation, and it can be grown in a wide variety of substrates and by-products obtained from the food industry. This feature makes them an excellent bioconversion tool and fits the concept of a sustainable circular economy. This issue can be the source of many effects due to its economic and environmental effects.
Keywords
Subjects

ارباب، ع (1400). ارزیابی امکان استفاده از فضولات حشرات در بهبود وضعیت حاصلخیزی خاک. مدیریت اراضی. دوره ۹(۱): ۱۳۹-۱۲۷.
ارباب، ع (1400).  بررسی کاربرد حشرات در کاهش پسماندهای پلاستیکی. محیط‌زیست و توسعه. ۱۲ (۳): ۵۱-۴۱.
ارباب، ع (1401). ارزیابی پسماندهای میوه و سبزی روی شاخص‌های تغذیه‌ای نوزاد سوسک جو، Zophobas morio (Fabricius, 1776) برای تغذیه آبزیان پرورشی. تغذیه آبزیان. ۸(۴): ۷۴-۶۵.
ارباب، ع (1401). حشره‌شناسی صنعتی: جلد دوم: سوسک جو (سوپرورم)Zophobas morio (Col.: Tenebrionidae) آشنایی، پرورش، فراوری و کاربردها. انتشارات دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی. ۱۳۰ص.
Bulak, P., Proc-Pietrycha, K., Kaczor, M., Pawłowska, M., & Bieganowski, A. (2023). A novel type of biochar from chitinous Hermetia illucens waste with a built-in stimulating effect on plants and soil arthropods. Scientific Reports. 13: 8306.  https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35460-6.
Derler, H., Lienhard, A., Berner, S., Grasser, M., Posch, A., & Rehorska, R. (2021). Use Them for What They Are Good at: Mealworms in Circular Food Systems. Insects 12, 40.
Finke, M. D. (2015). Complete nutrient content of four species of commercially available feeder insects fed enhanced diets during growth. Zoo. Biol. 34: 554–564.
Fontes, T.V., Oliveira, K.R.B., Almeida, I.L.G., Orlando, T.M., Rodrigues, P.B., & Costa. D.V. (2019). Digestibility of insect meals for Nile tilapia fingerlings. Animals 9, 181–189.
Gasco, L., Gai, F., Maricchiolo, G., Genovese, L., Ragonese, S., Bottari, T., & Caruso, G. (2018). Fishmeal alternative protein sources for aquaculture feeds. Feeds for the Aquaculture Sector: Current Situation and Alternative Sources. Springer International Publishing, 1-28.
Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M.P., & Hultink, E. 2017. The Circular Economy – a new sustainability paradigm?  Journal of Cleaner Production, 143(6):757–768.
Hahn, T., Tafi, E., Paul, A., Salvia, R., Falabella, P., & Zibek, S. (2020). Current state of chitin purification and chitosan production from insects. Journal of Chemical Technology & Biotechnology. 95: 2775-2795.
Homrich, A. S., Galvão, G., Abadia, L. G. & Carvalho, M. M. (2018). The circular economy umbrella: Trends and gaps on integrating pathways. Journal of Cleaner Production, 175: 525-543.
Hosseini Shekarabi, S.P., Shamsaie Mehrgan, M., & Banavreh, A. (2021). Feasibility of superworm, Zophobas morio, meal as a partial fishmeal replacer in fingerling rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, diet: growth performance, amino acid profile, proteolytic enzymes activity and pigmentation. Aquaculture Nutrition. 27: 1077–1088.
Jabir, M.A.R., Jabir, S.A.R., & Vikineswary, S. (2012). Nutritive potential and utilization of super worm (Zophobas morio) meal in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) juvenile. African Journal of Biotechnology. 11: 6592–6598.
Kierończyk, B., Rawski, M., Józefiak, A., Mazurkiewicz, J., Świątkiewicz, S., Siwek, M., Szumacher–Strabel, M., Cieślak, A., Benzertiha, A., & Józefiak, D. (2018). Effects of replacing soybean oil with selected insect fats on broilers. Animal Feed Science and Technology. 240: 170-183.
Kim, H.R., Lee, H.M., Yu, H.C., Jeon, E., Lee, S., Li, J., & Kim, D.H. (2020). Biodegradation of polystyrene by Pseudomonas sp. isolated from the gut of Superworms (Larvae of Zophobas atratus). Environmental Science & Technology. 54: 6987–6996.
Kirchherr, J., Reike, D. & Hekkert, M. (2017). Conceptualizing the circular economy: An analysis of 114 definitions. Resources, Conservation & Recycling. 127, 221-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec. 2017.09.005.
Koh, D.W.S., Ang, B.Y., Yeo, J.Y., Xing, Z., & Gan, S. K. (2020). Plastic agriculture using worms: Augmenting polystyrene consumption and using frass for plant growth towards a zero-waste circular economy. Ecology. DOI :10.14324/111. 444/000048.v1.
Kowalska, J., Rawski, M., Homska, N., Mikołajczak, Z., Kierończyk, B., Świątkiewicz, S., Wachowiak, R., Hetmańczyk, K., & Mazurkiewicz, J. (2021). The first insight into full-fat superworm (Zophobas morio) meal in guppy (Poecilia reticulata) diets: a study on multiple-choice feeding preferences and growth performance. Annals of Animal Science. DOI: 10.2478/aoas-2021-0072.
Leung, D., Yang, D., Li, Z., Zhao, Z., Chen, J., & Zhu L. (2012). Biodiesel from Zophobas morio larva oil: Process optimization and FAME characterization. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 51(2): 1036–1040.
Madau, P., Arru, B., Furesi R., & Pietro, P. (2020). Insect farming for feed and food production from a circular business model perspective sustainability. 12(13):5418.
McCarthy, S. P. (2003). Plastics and the Environment, John Wiley and Sons, Anthony L. Andrady, New Jersey, pp. 359–377.
Miglietta, P. P., De Leo, F., Ruberti, M., & Massari, S. (2015). Mealworms for food: a water footprint perspective. Water. 7: 6190–6203. doi: 10.3390/w7116190.
Moruzzo, R., Riccioli, F., Espinosa Diaz, S., Secci, C., Poli, G., & Mancini, S. (2021). Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor): Potential and Challenges to Promote Circular Economy. Animals. 11: 2568. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11092568
Ojha, S., Bußler, S., & Schlüter O.K. (2020). Food waste valorisation and circular economy concepts in insect production and processing. Waste Management. 118: 600-609.
Prachom, N., Boonyoung, S., Hassaan, M.S., El-Haroun, E., & Davies S.J. 2021. Preliminary evaluation of superworm (Zophobas morio) larval meal as a partial protein source in experimental diets for juvenile Asian sea bass, Lates calcarifer. Aquaculture Nutrition. 27: 1304–1314.
Rumbos, C.I., & Athanassio, C.G. (2021). The superworm, Zophobas morio (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae): A ‘sleeping giant’ in nutrient sources. The Journal of Insect Science. 21:13.
Shin, C. S., Kim, D. Y., & Shin, W. S. (2019). Characterization of chitosan extracted from Mealworm Beetle (Tenebrio molitor, Zophobas morio) and Rhinoceros Beetle (Allomyrina dichotoma) and their antibacterial activities. International Journal of Biological Macromolecules. 125: 72–77.
Yang, Y., Yang, J., Wu, W., Zhao, J., Song, Y., Gao, L., Yang, R., & Jiang, L. 2015. Biodegradation and mineralization of polystyrene by plastic-eating mealworms: part 1. Chemical and physical characterization and isotopic tests. Environmental Science & Technology. 49: 12080–12086.