Researchers 3D Print Cookies From Plastic Waste for NASA Space Missions

A team at Southern Illinois University Carbondale has developed a process that converts plastic bottles and agricultural waste into protein-rich cookies. The work is part of NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge and was presented at the Fall Meeting of the American Chemical Society.

The researchers, led by applied microbiologist Lahiru Jayakody, reprogrammed yeast strains to break down polyethylene terephthalate and corn stalks. One yeast strain turns ferulic acid into vanillin. Another digests ethylene glycol and produces beta-carotene, a vitamin A precursor. The result is a mash of proteins and fats that can be formed into a snack.

After adding starch, fiber, and a sweetener, the team pressed the mixture through a 3D printer to shape it into a micro-symbol called a µBite. The branding is intentional. The concept is to create compact, nutrient-dense food for environments where supply chains do not exist.

Jayakody says the carbon in plastic is the same carbon in food. The idea is not to replace meals on Earth but to provide a backup food source for submarines, disaster zones, and long-duration space missions. NASA is particularly interested because future Moon and Mars crews will need to recycle every resource they carry.

The cookies have not been tasted yet. Regulatory approval for human consumption is still pending. Safety questions about microplastic residues and engineered yeast byproducts remain open. The research team acknowledges the work is early-stage.

Whether there is a market for plastic-based food on Earth is another question. Critics point out that recycling and waste reduction still make more sense than eating trash. But as a proof of concept for off-world survival, the µBites project is hard to ignore.