NASA-supported project turns recycled plastic into edible cookies

Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, supported by a NASA-led project, have developed a method to create protein-rich, edible cookies using recycled PET plastic and agricultural waste. The process, which produces products named ‘AµBites’, involves breaking down plastic and plant biomass into smaller carbon-rich molecules using high temperature and pressure.

Specialized yeast strains, modified using CRISPR technology, then convert these compounds into proteins, fats, and acids. These nutrients are subsequently shaped into cookies via 3D printing. The researchers also utilized genetically modified yeast to produce vanilla flavoring from biomass and convert ethylene glycol from the plastic into beta-carotene.

While currently costing approximately $60 per kilogram, the technology aims to solve food supply challenges for long-duration space missions, such as Mars expeditions. The researchers suggest the method could also benefit submariners, disaster relief efforts, and global food security by repurposing waste into nutrition.