Insect-mediated Bioconversion of Food Wastes: Evaluating Growth and Efficiency of Zophobas morio Larvae

Abstract

The study of the Superworms (SW) (Zophobas morio) to bio-convert organic waste substrates such as carrot, cabbage, potato, mango, banana and kitchen waste, took place over a 90-day period. The goal was to measure the efficacy of SW in bio-converting organic substrates into biomass to contribute to sustainable waste management and ultimately environmental pollution reduction. Parameters measured included the percent gain biomass; biomass yield; bioconversion efficiency; percent reduction; waste reduction index; and feed conversion ratio (FCR). The results demonstrated that SW were capable of good bioconversion, with high biomass gain and waste reduction, with a few exceptions of banana and kitchen waste. In all groups except kitchen waste, there was a high rate of biomass gain and waste reduction. The worms in the kitchen waste group were all dead after three days and all were in an advanced stage of decay. This is likely due to too much moisture in the kitchen waste. Of the tested substrates, the highest bioconversion performance was wheat bran (control), potato, and cabbage; while banana had the lowest biomass gain and mortality soon after feeding, due to rapid moisture reduction. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of SW to valorize selected organic wastes, while also showing the capability of these species to convert lower value waste into insect biomass. The conversion of low-value, nutrient-rich organic waste into insect biomass has the potential to help reduce landfill load, help manage food waste, or reduce environmental pollution.