Crickets Reduce Toxins in Corn to Create Animal Feed

Researchers found that crickets convert contaminated corn into high-protein feed while cutting mycotoxin levels by 96 percent.

Updated on Oct. 27, 2026 in Organic Food

Crickets Reduce Toxins in Corn to Create Animal Feed

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Should federal agencies prioritize research into insect-based alternatives for agricultural waste management?

USDA researchers have successfully converted mycotoxin-contaminated corn into animal feed using crickets. This process could help farmers and grain processors recover value from crops otherwise discarded due to fungal contamination.

Why it matters

Fungal mycotoxin contamination frequently forces the disposal of corn, causing significant economic losses for producers. This new research offers a potential pathway to repurpose compromised grain into a high-protein feed source while effectively managing food safety risks.

USDA-ARS researchers conducted a study in Peoria, Illinois and Stoneville, Mississippi demonstrating that crickets fed contaminated corn produce a meal with a 96% reduction in mycotoxins versus the original grain. The final insect meal also contains nearly 3 times the protein of the corn.

The players

USDA-ARS

The Agricultural Research Service is the chief scientific in-house research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, focused on solving agricultural problems.

The details

Researchers fed corn containing fungal mycotoxins to crickets to determine if the insects could safely metabolize the toxins. The crickets successfully processed the material, and the resulting insect meal was refined into a high-protein product for animal feed. This approach effectively breaks down toxins that would otherwise make the raw corn unsafe for agricultural use.

October 27, 2026: The research findings are reported.

Health Landscape

This study aligns with the USDA Agricultural Research Service's mycotoxin mitigation initiative by exploring novel bioconversion strategies. The findings represent a shift from traditional disposal methods toward biological processing for contaminated feedstocks.

While this research focuses on animal feed, it highlights ongoing efforts to improve food safety and reduce waste in the agricultural supply chain. You can discuss the safety of your food sources with your local agricultural extension office if you are interested in supply chain integrity.

The takeaway

Using crickets to process contaminated corn offers a promising method for reducing toxin levels while increasing protein content for animal feed. Consumers interested in grain safety can track developments in mycotoxin management through official USDA agricultural research bulletins.