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Analysis of exogenous risk factors of new food resources of animal origin: a case study of mealworms
Summary
Mealworms are being explored as a sustainable, protein-rich food source, but this review of existing studies finds they can soak up heavy metals like lead and cadmium from their environment, and may also retain microplastics and other pollutants. Cooking methods like roasting or frying can create additional harmful byproducts, so before mealworms become a mainstream food, researchers say we need better safety checks at every step—from farming to your plate.
ObjectiveTo systematically analyze the domestic and international literature on exogenous risk factors associated with the yellow mealworm （Tenebrio molitor）， and to comprehensively review the contamination characteristics， accumulation patterns， and health risks of exogenous risk factors during rearing， processing， and consumption.MethodsA comprehensive search was conducted in domestic and international databases for studies published between 2003 and 2025 on exogenous risk factors in the yellow mealworm. After screening according to the predefined inclusion criteria， the eligible studies were included for analysis. The reported exogenous risk factors were classified into heavy metals， biotoxins， processing by-products， emerging contaminants， and so on. The contamination pathways， bioaccumulation factors， toxicological effects， and exposure risks of each category were summarized and analyzed.ResultsThe yellow mealworm exhibited a strong bioaccumulation capacity for heavy metals such as lead， cadmium， mercury， and arsenic， with bioaccumulation factors generally ≥1 and reaching as high as 34 for lead. The larvae show a certain degree of degradation and tolerance to biotoxins such as aflatoxin B₁ and deoxynivalenol， however， residual from biotoxin metabolites remained as potential risks. Processing procedures， such as high‑temperature roasting and frying， may generate harmful substances including acrylamide and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Emerging contaminants， such as microplastics and polychlorinated biphenyls， may also be retained in or accumulated by the yellow mealworm.ConclusionAs a novel animal‑derived food resource， the yellow mealworm is susceptible to various exogenous risk factors. Strengthening control at the source and optimizing processing procedures are essential for risk prevention and control. Future research should focus on establishing whole‑chain risk prediction models and investigating the synergistic effects of combined risk factors， thereby providing a scientific basis for the safe application of novel animal-derived food resources.