{"id":180784,"date":"2026-09-08T07:29:00","date_gmt":"2026-09-08T05:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=180784"},"modified":"2026-09-01T13:27:11","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T11:27:11","slug":"this-cookie-started-its-life-as-a-plastic-bottle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/this-cookie-started-its-life-as-a-plastic-bottle\/","title":{"rendered":"This cookie started its life as a plastic bottle"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"564\" height=\"423\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/09\/6a8d839bbe9be_qs4DJvZ1T.avif\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-180800\" style=\"width:570px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/09\/6a8d839bbe9be_qs4DJvZ1T.avif 564w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/09\/6a8d839bbe9be_qs4DJvZ1T-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/09\/6a8d839bbe9be_qs4DJvZ1T-150x113.jpg 150w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2026\/09\/6a8d839bbe9be_qs4DJvZ1T-360x270.jpg 360w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 564px) 100vw, 564px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This cookie is made using waste plant materials and plastic and could feed humans everywhere from submarines to spaceships. \u00a9 SIU Carbondale Communications<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Plastic might be the last ingredient you would ever add to a cookie recipe. But a team of researchers is looking to change that. They\u2019ve programmed yeasts to turn plastic and agricultural waste into edible proteins and flavoring molecules, creating a treat from trash. The technology not only offers a new upcycling method but could also sustain life in disaster zones or even deep-space missions with humans aboard.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers will present their results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS) during the \u201cUndergraduate and Graduate Research in Biochemistry and Chemical Biology\u201d symposium in McCormick Place. ACS Fall 2026 is being held August 23-27.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>&#8220;Microbes are very clever. So, we are using their traits to solve the problems we created.\u201d \u2014 <strong>Lahiru Jayakody<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed aligncenter is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"BorlabsCookie _brlbs-cb-youtube\"><div class=\"_brlbs-content-blocker\"> <div class=\"_brlbs-embed _brlbs-video-youtube\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_brlbs-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-content\/plugins\/borlabs-cookie\/assets\/images\/cb-no-thumbnail.png\" alt=\"YouTube\"> <div class=\"_brlbs-caption\"> <p>By loading the video, you agree to YouTube&#8217;s privacy policy.<br><a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy?hl=en&amp;gl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Learn more<\/a><\/p> <p><a class=\"_brlbs-btn _brlbs-icon-play-white\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Load video<\/a><\/p> <p><label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"unblockAll\" value=\"1\" checked> <small>Always unblock YouTube<\/small><\/label><\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><div class=\"borlabs-hide\" data-borlabs-cookie-type=\"content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-id=\"youtube\"><script type=\"text\/template\">PGlmcmFtZSB0aXRsZT0iV291bGQgeW91IGVhdCB0aGlzIGNvb2tpZT8gfCBIZWFkbGluZSBTY2llbmNlIiB3aWR0aD0iNTAwIiBoZWlnaHQ9IjI4MSIgc3JjPSJodHRwczovL3d3dy55b3V0dWJlLW5vY29va2llLmNvbS9lbWJlZC9ZUXl3TjFWdU1LVT9mZWF0dXJlPW9lbWJlZCIgZnJhbWVib3JkZXI9IjAiIGFsbG93PSJhY2NlbGVyb21ldGVyOyBhdXRvcGxheTsgY2xpcGJvYXJkLXdyaXRlOyBlbmNyeXB0ZWQtbWVkaWE7IGd5cm9zY29wZTsgcGljdHVyZS1pbi1waWN0dXJlOyB3ZWItc2hhcmUiIHJlZmVycmVycG9saWN5PSJzdHJpY3Qtb3JpZ2luLXdoZW4tY3Jvc3Mtb3JpZ2luIiBhbGxvd2Z1bGxzY3JlZW4+PC9pZnJhbWU+<\/script><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Watch a Headline Science YouTube Short about this research.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>As the world struggles with growing plastic pollution and increasing concerns about food security, researchers are looking for ways to turn one problem into a means of solving the other. So, a team from Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale has put microbes to the test to transform plastic waste into edible food for humans. The work was conducted as part of a project led by NASA aimed at creating food for the resource-limited environment of deep-space exploration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe were trying to develop technologies for plastic upcycling to make more valuable products. We thought, why not focus on making food? Because plastic is carbon and food is carbon,\u201d explains <strong>Associate Professor Lahiru Jayakody<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most common forms of plastic is polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a material often used to make soda and water bottles. PET contains molecules with lots of carbon that could be rebuilt into something like a protein. And while that rebuilding could be done using chemical reactions and solvents in a lab, a simpler and more eco-friendly solution is to outsource the work to microbes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><strong>Jayakody<\/strong> adds, \u201cmicrobes are very clever. So, we are using their traits to solve the problems we created.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Scientists have long used microbes, including yeast, as miniature factories to make a variety of molecules. For example, insulin is no longer extracted from animal pancreases \u2014 now, yeast can be programmed to make it. Similarly, Jayakody and graduate student Sandhya Jayasekara programmed a variety of yeasts, including baker\u2019s yeast, to convert molecules present in plastic and agricultural waste into proteins, vitamins, and flavorings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The researchers took PET plastic, discarded corn plant stalks and leaves, and other biomass and put it through a proprietary process called oxidative hydrothermal dissolution. Created by SIU Carbondale Geology Professor Ken Anderson, this method uses water and oxygen at high temperature and pressure to break down tough material into microbe-accessible pieces. Then, those pieces are fed to the programmed yeasts, which reform those pieces into a variety of new food ingredients, including proteins, fats, and acids. Finally, the researchers add fiber, starch, and sweetener to the mix and then extruded it through a 3D printer, forming protein-rich cookies dubbed \u00b5Bites (pronounced \u201cmicrobites\u201d).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This cookie is made using waste plant materials and plastic and could feed humans everywhere from submarines to spaceships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Though the data show that \u00b5Bites are safe to eat, the team is awaiting institutional approval to conduct taste tests. For now, the cookies have received high marks on aroma, with most participants agreeing that they would be willing to eat the cookies in resource-limited situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make \u00b5Bites into something consumers might opt for in less dire circumstances, Jayasekara created yeasts that can produce more food additives. Now, baker\u2019s yeast can produce vanilla flavoring from plant biomass, while a different strain can now turn ethylene glycol from PET into beta-carotene, which the body can convert into vitamin A. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re using microbes to develop the cookie into a more attractive, consumer-friendly product,\u201d says <strong>Jayasekara<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>In the future, Jayakody and team hope to produce the main ingredients in the \u00b5Bites using microbes, including the added starch, fiber, and sweetener. He also hopes \u00b5Bites will be ready for public consumption within a few years and could be used both on Earth and in more extreme environments, like submarines or even colonies on the moon or Mars. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cGlobal food demand is expected to rise 35\u201356% by the year 2050, and about 30% of the world population will be at risk of hunger in the future. The way to address that, I believe, is by using microbes,\u201d <strong>he<\/strong> concludes.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>The research was funded by the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge and a National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:16px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the American Chemical Society<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>The American Chemical Society (ACS) is one of the world&#8217;s largest scientific organizations and a global leader in advancing scientific knowledge. Founded in 1876, ACS&#8217; mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community, and champion scientific integrity. Guided by its vision of a world built on science, ACS brings together people, ideas, and resources to drive discovery and innovation, support the professional growth of scientists and students, and advance scientific discussion. Through its trusted publications, scientific meetings, community networks, education and career resources, and scientific information solutions, ACS helps scientists, educators, and students make a lasting impact on their communities and the world at large. Together, these efforts support ACS&#8217; commitment to improve all lives through the transforming power of chemistry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Plastic might be the last ingredient you would ever add to a cookie recipe. But a team of researchers is looking to change that. They\u2019ve programmed yeasts to turn plastic and agricultural waste into edible proteins and flavoring molecules, creating a treat from trash. The technology not only offers a new upcycling method but could [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":180800,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Specialized microbes transform inedible material into protein-rich snacks","footnotes":""},"categories":[17143],"tags":[23834,14641,28481,12615,14007,14462,12417,15515,13821],"supplier":[1143,3827,28480],"class_list":["post-180784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-recycling","tag-agriculturalwaste","tag-foodengineering","tag-micoorganisms","tag-microbes","tag-pet","tag-plasticwaste","tag-proteins","tag-upcycling","tag-yeast","supplier-american-chemical-society-acs","supplier-nasa","supplier-southern-illinois-university-siu-carbondale"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180784","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=180784"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180784\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":180824,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/180784\/revisions\/180824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180800"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=180784"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=180784"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=180784"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=180784"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}