The agri-food industry is increasingly recognizing the environmental impact of the over-exploitation of natural resources and waste production, which has prompted a search for sustainable alternatives based on circular bioeconomy principles. Insects can efficiently transform food substrates into reusable biomass, thus making them valuable contributors to a circular bioeconomy system. However, the relationship between the circular bioeconomy and the insect industry has so far appeared relatively unexplored in the existing research. To address this gap, a meta-synthesis has been conducted through a systematic literature review. By identifying the state of the art and assessing the role of insects in the transition of closed-loop systems, the aim of this research has been to shed light on the opportunities and challenges of integrating insects in circular bioeconomy strategies. The research revealed three main topics: (1) waste management by insects, i.e., the use of insects as a tool for waste management and with which to create high-value substrates; (2) insect-based feeds, namely the use of insects as alternative food sources in farming systems; (3) insect-based food acceptance by consumers. The results underscore the significant potential of this market within the circular bioeconomy context, highlighting the obstacles that need to be addressed and future strategies that could be adopted.

农业食品行业越来越认识到过度开采自然资源和废物产生对环境的影响，这促使人们寻找基于循环生物经济原则的可持续替代品。昆虫可以有效地将食物基质转化为可重复使用的生物质，从而使它们成为循环生物经济系统的宝贵贡献者。然而，迄今为止，现有研究中循环生物经济与昆虫产业之间的关系似乎尚未得到探索。为了解决这一差距，通过系统的文献综述进行了荟萃分析。通过确定最新技术并评估昆虫在闭环系统转型中的作用，本研究的目的是揭示将昆虫纳入循环生物经济战略的机遇和挑战。该研究揭示了三个主要主题：（1）昆虫废物管理，即利用昆虫作为废物管理的工具，并用昆虫来创造高价值的基质； （2）昆虫饲料，即在农业系统中使用昆虫作为替代食物来源； (3)昆虫食品被消费者接受。结果强调了该市场在循环生物经济背景下的巨大潜力，强调了需要解决的障碍和未来可以采取的战略。