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ScienceQuiet 5d · day 11

NASA-backed team engineers yeast to convert plastic waste into edible cookies

Southern Illinois University researchers developed a system to transform PET plastic and agricultural waste into food ingredients through genetically programmed microorganisms.

newest coverage 5d agosummary written 8d ago6 pieces3 likes & upvotes1 comments NewswiresRedditHacker NewsGoogle News

What to know

  • Researchers at Southern Illinois University engineered yeast to convert PET plastic and agricultural waste into edible proteins, vitamins, and flavorings through a proprietary oxidative hydrothermal dissolution process.
  • The system produces 3D-printed protein-rich cookies called µBites, developed partly for NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge to enable food production in resource-limited deep space environments.
  • The technology addresses dual global challenges—plastic pollution and food insecurity—with potential applications ranging from disaster relief on Earth to human deep-space missions.

“We 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.”

Lahiru Jayakody, Associate Professor, SIU Carbondale · Science Daily ↗ · Sep 12

Lahiru Jayakody Associate Professor, SIU CarbondaleSandhya Jayasekara Graduate student, SIU CarbondaleKen Anderson Geology Professor, SIU CarbondaleSouthern Illinois University Carbondale Research institutionNASA Funding agency

NASA-backed team engineers yeast to convert plastic waste into edible cookies
sciencedaily.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 2 pieces in 3h at Sep 13, 7 AM; 6 pieces over 11 days (4 articles · 2 posts) Sep 13, 7 AM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 1, Newswires 1Sep 13, 10 AM — quietSep 13, 1 PM — quietSep 13, 4 PM — quietSep 13, 7 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Reddit 1Sep 13, 10 PM — quietSep 14, 1 AM — quietSep 14, 4 AM — quietSep 14, 7 AM — quietSep 14, 10 AM — quietSep 14, 1 PM — quietSep 14, 4 PM — quietSep 14, 7 PM — quietSep 14, 10 PM — quietSep 15, 1 AM — quietSep 15, 4 AM — quietSep 15, 7 AM — quietSep 15, 10 AM — quietSep 15, 1 PM — quietSep 15, 4 PM — quietSep 15, 7 PM — quietSep 15, 10 PM — 1 piece · 1 post — Hacker News 1Sep 16, 1 AM — quietSep 16, 4 AM — quietSep 16, 7 AM — quietSep 16, 10 AM — quietSep 16, 1 PM — quietSep 16, 4 PM — quietSep 16, 7 PM — quietSep 16, 10 PM — quietSep 17, 1 AM — quietSep 17, 4 AM — quietSep 17, 7 AM — quietSep 17, 10 AM — quietSep 17, 1 PM — quietSep 17, 4 PM — quietSep 17, 7 PM — quietSep 17, 10 PM — quietSep 18, 1 AM — quietSep 18, 4 AM — quietSep 18, 7 AM — quietSep 18, 10 AM — quietSep 18, 1 PM — quietSep 18, 4 PM — quietSep 18, 7 PM — 2 pieces · 2 articles — Google News 2Sep 18, 10 PM — quietSep 19, 1 AM — quietSep 19, 4 AM — quietSep 19, 7 AM — quietSep 19, 10 AM — quietSep 19, 1 PM — quietSep 19, 4 PM — quietSep 19, 7 PM — quietSep 19, 10 PM — quietSep 20, 1 AM — quietSep 20, 4 AM — quietSep 20, 7 AM — quietSep 20, 10 AM — quietSep 20, 1 PM — quietSep 20, 4 PM — quietSep 20, 7 PM — quietSep 20, 10 PM — quietSep 21, 1 AM — quietSep 21, 4 AM — quietSep 21, 7 AM — quietSep 21, 10 AM — quietSep 21, 1 PM — quietSep 21, 4 PM — quietSep 21, 7 PM — quietSep 21, 10 PM — quietSep 22, 1 AM — quietSep 22, 4 AM — quietSep 22, 7 AM — quietSep 22, 10 AM — quietSep 22, 1 PM — quietSep 22, 4 PM — quietSep 22, 7 PM — quietSep 22, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 1 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 7 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 1 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 7 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 1 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quiet 12
Sep 14Sep 15Sep 16Sep 17Sep 18Sep 19Sep 20Sep 21Sep 22now · 6:44 AM ET
  1. background

    Hacker News picks up plastic-to-food conversion story — The research gains traction on Hacker News three days after the initial ACS presentation, continuing to spread across technology and science communities online.

  2. 2

    Reddit community shares NASA plastic-to-cookies research

    The story circulates on Reddit, spreading awareness of the Southern Illinois University research among social audiences.

  3. 1

    Science Daily reports engineered yeast creates protein-rich cookies from waste

    Coverage reveals the system produces ingredients for 3D-printed cookies called µBites, developed partly for NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, capable of producing proteins, fats, vitamins, and vanilla flavoring from plastic and biomass waste.

    “Microbes are very clever. So, we are using their traits to solve the problems we created.”
    — Lahiru Jayakody, Associate Professor, SIU Carbondale · source
    1. 1 outlet Scientists Turn Plastic Waste Into Protein-Rich Cookies

      first by SciTechDaily, 5d ago

  4. background

    SIU Carbondale team presents yeast-based plastic-to-food conversion system — Researchers presented results at the fall meeting of the American Chemical Society showing they have engineered yeast to transform PET plastic and agricultural waste into food ingredients including proteins, vitamins, and flavorings.