From Plastic Slurry to Cookies: SIU's Microbites Move Waste Toward Food
Researchers at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have developed µBites—cookies produced by converting PET plastic and agricultural waste into a liquid feedstock via oxidative hydrothermal dissolution, then using engineered yeast to create ingredients like proteins, lipids, aromas (vanillin) and colors (beta-carotene) which are 3D-printed into dough and microwaved into cookies. Aimed at near-zero-waste carbon conversion for remote or space environments, the system currently converts about half of feedstock carbon; safety tests are ongoing and human tasting is pending. Microgravity remains a hurdle, but potential uses include disaster relief and on-demand food in extreme conditions.