Edible Tenebrio molitor as solid waste biodegraders: Exploring degradation mechanisms, physiological stress responses, application challenges, and future perspectives

• Mealworms’ pioneering strategies for solid waste reduction are reviewed. • Tenebrio molitor convert solid waste into protein-rich biomass. • Tenebrio molitor effectively degrade plastics and cause physiological responses. • Scaling Tenebrio molitor in waste management faces cost and logistical hurdles. Over the past few decades, plastics and agricultural residues, such as crop straw, have become ubiquitous in daily life and industrial production, leading to an obvious increase in global solid waste generation. The accumulation of low-biodegradable plastics and crop straw in the environment has resulted in severe air, water, and soil pollution, causing substantial ecological harm. Furthermore, the improper disposal of crop straw and plastics has led to resource wastage. Various biological and chemical processes with considerable potential for recycling plastics and crop straw have been developed; however, biodegradation stands out as both an innovative and highly sustainable strategy for addressing this escalating environmental challenge. In this review, firstly, we summarize of recent advances in the use of insects for the biodegradation of crop straw, including waste conversion efficiency and the role of insect gut microbiota. We then discuss in detail the biodegradation efficiency, physiological stress responses and metabolic characteristics, ecological risks, and challenges associated with the biodegradation of petroleum-based and biodegradable plastics by Tenebrio molitor . These discussions, in turn, inspire further technical exploration to fully harness the potential of these insects, with an emphasis on improving rearing efficiency, enhancing degradation capabilities, and deepening our understanding of the ecological and health impacts of the metabolic byproducts produced by these insects. These insights can pave the way for innovative biotechnological solutions, transforming waste management practices and advancing sustainability goals.