Sri Lankan microbiologist Dr Lahiru Jayakody is leading NASA-backed research that converts compounds from plastic and plant waste into protein-rich 3D-printed cookie prototypes.
COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan scientist is helping turn an unlikely source of waste into experimental food, with a NASA-backed research project converting plastic and discarded plant material into ingredients for 3D-printed cookies.
The project is led by Dr Lahiru Jayakody, a microbiologist at Southern Illinois University Carbondale in the United States. His team has developed a prototype called µBites, pronounced “microbites”, using compounds derived from PET plastic bottles and agricultural waste.
How plastic waste becomes food ingredients
The process does not involve grinding plastic directly into cookies.
Researchers first break down PET plastic and plant waste using Oxidative Hydrothermal Dissolution, which uses water, oxygen, high temperature and pressure to create smaller carbon-containing compounds.
Engineered yeast and other microorganisms then consume those compounds and transform them into proteins, fats, acids and other potentially useful food ingredients.
The resulting material is mixed with ingredients such as fibre, starch and sweetener before being fed into a 3D food printer, which builds the cookie layer by layer.
NASA-backed project
The research received support through the NASA Deep Space Food Challenge, reflecting its potential use during long-duration space missions where carrying sufficient conventional food could be difficult.
Researchers believe the technology could one day help astronauts reuse waste generated aboard spacecraft while producing food ingredients for journeys to the Moon or Mars.
Potential Earth-based applications could include disaster zones, submarines and other remote environments where food supplies are difficult to transport.
Not ready for supermarket shelves
Despite the attention around so-called “plastic cookies”, the technology remains experimental.
The American Chemical Society has described µBites as a prototype, and further safety testing and regulatory approvals would be required before the product could be sold for general consumption. Researchers have also stressed that the final product is intended to contain no plastic or microplastics.
Current production costs are reported at around $60 per kilogram, although researchers expect costs could fall if the process is scaled up.
Impact to expect
If successfully developed and approved, the technology could offer a new way to address two major challenges at once: reducing plastic waste and producing food in environments where traditional agriculture or supply chains are limited.
