Researchers at Southern Illinois University have developed a technology that can convert PET plastic waste and plant-based raw materials into components for food production. However, the researchers themselves have not yet tasted the resulting cookies, El.kz reports.
To create the product, plastic bottles and plant waste are treated with water and oxygen at high temperature and pressure. As a result, the original material is broken down into carbon-rich molecules.
The resulting compounds are then processed by specially modified yeast into proteins, fats and organic acids. Starch, dietary fibre and a sweetener are added to this mixture, which is subsequently loaded into a food-grade 3D printer. This process produces small protein cookies called µBites, a name that can be translated as “microbites.”
Separately, the researchers modified baker’s yeast so that it can produce vanillin from plant waste. According to the researchers, this is intended to improve the product’s aroma and flavour. The cookies have not yet undergone a tasting assessment, as the researchers are awaiting approval from the university to consume them.
The µBites project was initially developed as part of NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge. Its objective is to develop technologies that would enable food to be produced during long-duration space missions using available raw materials while minimising waste generation.
The technology remains at the experimental stage. At present, producing one kilogram of these cookies costs approximately USD 60. The researchers expect that scaling up the process will significantly reduce production costs.
