Honors Students Explore the Role of Insect Protein with Tyson Foods Advisor

Keith Driver, sustainability advisor at Tyson Foods, project director of a joint venture between Tyson Foods and Protix and instructor of carbon markets and finance, opened his lecture by asking the class if they had ever eaten bugs.

A few students raised their hands. For those who didn't, Driver asked if they had ever eaten Skittles, the multicolored, fruit-flavored candy. With Halloween just behind them, that was a resounding: yes. Driver tossed the students a pack of Skittles from Canada, which contains the ingredient carmine, a red dye extracted from the cochineal insect. But Driver brought more than candy to share with the class, he also brought black soldier fly larvae.

Driver presented his lecture to honors students in the Honors College Signature Seminar: Food Matters, a course that examines the legal, social and environmental dimensions of the modern food system. Throughout the semester, the class has explored how industries—like alternative protein—are adapting to meet both consumer demand and environmental responsibility. Driver's discussion on insect-based proteins offered students a tangible example of how market innovation, regulatory frameworks and consumer perception all play a role in defining the future of sustainable food.

"As the global population approaches 10 billion by 2050, we must find innovative, sustainable ways to feed the world," said Jennie Popp, associate dean of the Honors College who teaches the seminar with Curt Rom and University Professor of horticulture and Margaret Sova McCabe, vice chancellor for research and innovation. "Insect protein—long part of many traditional animal feeds and diets—offers a promising solution with a smaller environmental footprint. By educating students on its benefits, we can help overcome the 'ick' factor and take a step toward meeting the protein needs of the future."

In 2023, Tyson Foods Inc. announced a partnership with Protix, a leading global insect ingredient company based in the Netherlands. In addition to its investment, Tyson is working with Protix to build a U.S. facility that will use agri-food waste to feed black soldier flies, which will, in turn, be processed into feed for pets, poultry and fish.

The black soldier fly is a fascinating species because it can thrive on almost any type of waste, but as Driver explained, rearing them is far more complex.

"The challenge is that we're trying to grow them efficiently and with care," Driver said, referring to finding the right balance between protein and carbohydrates. "But the bigger challenge is that they live in their feed, so not only do we have to worry about what they eat, but it has to be a suitable matrix."

Perhaps the most impressive part, he said, is that the larvae can consume food that would be unsafe for human consumption. This means they aren't competing with livestock or people for feed sources. Instead, the partnership is transforming otherwise inedible materials into a cost-effective feed ingredient, keeping food waste out of landfills, out of water treatment plants and off the land.

There are nutritional benefits, too. For example, a chicken's natural diet includes insects, and that diet produces the great tasting eggs, Driver added.

"We see it as an ingredient in the food chain that can unlock animal health, more natural flavors and nutrient-dense foods," he said. 

Driver explained that Tyson's approach to sustainability extends beyond reducing waste—it's about finding value in every part of the production process. 

"At Tyson, the saying is that we sell everything but the cluck," he said. "There's very little that goes out as waste. The more value we can pull from every ingredient and byproduct, the more sustainable we become." 

He compared it to the beef industry, where maximizing the use of every part of the cow helps distribute production costs and reduce waste. 

"My goal is to build factories that produce really high-value proteins, so that one day, the thing that grew from the feedstock is worth more than the thing itself," Driver said.

Driver's collaborations extend beyond the classroom. He is working with Ashley Dowling, associate professor of entomology, along with graduate and undergraduate students, on a project to develop sustainable methods for producing natural colorants derived from insects, the same source of carmine mentioned in his lecture. The effort brings together students from agriculture, food science and engineering to explore scalable approaches to sustainable ingredient production.