Scientists Create Edible Cookies from Upcycled Plastic for Space Missions
During the American Chemical Society Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago on August 24, a team from Southern Illinois University Carbondale unveiled µBites, a new type of cookie made from recycled plastic and agricultural waste. They use intense heat and pressure to break down materials like PET bottles and corn stalks, converting them into proteins, fats, and acids with the help of genetically modified yeast. To create the cookie dough, they mix in fiber, starch, and sweeteners, which is then 3D-printed. This project, part of NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, aims to provide food for long space missions and help with global hunger issues. While the cookies are considered safe, taste testing still needs approval. Some experts express concerns about the project's practicality.
Key facts
- µBites cookies were presented at the American Chemical Society Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago on August 24.
- The cookies are made from upcycled plastic and agricultural waste using genetically engineered microbes.
- The process uses high temperature and pressure to break down waste into smaller molecules, which yeast converts into nutrients.
- The project is part of NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge.
- Microbiologist Lahiru Jayakody of Southern Illinois University Carbondale leads the research.
- Sandhya Jayasekara programmed yeasts to produce vanillin and beta-carotene for flavor and nutrition.
- The cookies are safe to eat but taste tests await institutional approval.
- Jason Hallett of Imperial College London doubts commercial viability, while Stephen Wallace of the University of Edinburgh sees potential but raises concerns.
Entities
Artists
- Lahiru Jayakody
- Sandhya Jayasekara
Institutions
- Southern Illinois University Carbondale
- American Chemical Society
- NASA
- Canadian Space Agency
- Imperial College London
- University of Edinburgh
- Smithsonian
- Forbes
- BBC
- New Scientist
- Chemical Engineer
- Guardian
Locations
- Chicago
- United States
- Mars
- London
- United Kingdom
- Edinburgh
- Scotland