Earthworms as a Potential Food Source: Nutritional Value, Bioactive Compounds, Safety Considerations, and Prospects for Sustainable Protein Production

Growing global demand for sustainable protein sources has intensified interest in unconventional organisms with high nutritional value and low environmental impact. Earthworms (Annelida: Oligochaeta), long recognized for their ecological importance in soil systems, have emerged as a promising candidate for human consumption and as a high-quality ingredient in animal feed. This manuscript reviews the nutritional composition of earthworm biomass, the presence of bioactive peptides with potential health benefits, safety considerations related to microbial load and environmental contaminants, and the role of earthworms within circular bioeconomy frameworks. The analysis highlights both the opportunities and constraints associated with integrating earthworms into future food systems. Keywords: Earthworms, sustainable protein sources, bioactive peptides, lumbrokinase.