Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
It's a new approach to sustainable food production. Scientists at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are using microbes to transform plastic-derived compounds into protein-rich ingredients. The μBites project, developed for NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, combines microbial biotechnology with 3D food printing to create a cookie prototype designed for future space missions. By turning waste carbon into useful food components, this research highlights new possibilities for creating sustainable food systems in challenging environments.
“Engineered yeast consortia for converting plastic and biomass-derived compounds into valuable food additives”
Presented at ACS Fall 2026 on Aug. 24, 2026
Presenter: Sandhya K. Jayasekara
Principal Investigator: Lahiru Jayakody, Ph.D.
To read an ACS press release about this research, go to acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2026/august/this-cookie-started-its-life-as-a-plastic-bottle.html.
Video credits:
Written and produced by Mia Downs
Hosted and edited by Lizette Miranda
Series produced by Vangie Koonce, Anne Hylden, Andrew Sobey, Janali Thompson, Darren Weaver, Elaine Seward, and Jefferson Beck
Executive produced by Matthew Radcliff
Research videos from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, filmed by Todd Duermyer and Ajay Poloju
Additional video from NASA and Vangie Koonce
Sound effects from Soundsnap
Produced by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals, and scientific conferences.
Join the #AmericanChemicalSociety! bit.ly/Join_ACS
#cookies #plastic #snacks #space #chemistry
It's a new approach to sustainable food production. Scientists at Southern Illinois University Carbondale are using microbes to transform plastic-derived compounds into protein-rich ingredients. The μBites project, developed for NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge, combines microbial biotechnology with 3D food printing to create a cookie prototype designed for future space missions. By turning waste carbon into useful food components, this research highlights new possibilities for creating sustainable food systems in challenging environments.
“Engineered yeast consortia for converting plastic and biomass-derived compounds into valuable food additives”
Presented at ACS Fall 2026 on Aug. 24, 2026
Presenter: Sandhya K. Jayasekara
Principal Investigator: Lahiru Jayakody, Ph.D.
To read an ACS press release about this research, go to acs.org/pressroom/presspacs/2026/august/this-cookie-started-its-life-as-a-plastic-bottle.html.
Video credits:
Written and produced by Mia Downs
Hosted and edited by Lizette Miranda
Series produced by Vangie Koonce, Anne Hylden, Andrew Sobey, Janali Thompson, Darren Weaver, Elaine Seward, and Jefferson Beck
Executive produced by Matthew Radcliff
Research videos from Southern Illinois University Carbondale, filmed by Todd Duermyer and Ajay Poloju
Additional video from NASA and Vangie Koonce
Sound effects from Soundsnap
Produced by the American Chemical Society (ACS), one of the world’s largest scientific societies. ACS is a global leader in providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple databases, peer-reviewed journals, and scientific conferences.
Join the #AmericanChemicalSociety! bit.ly/Join_ACS
#cookies #plastic #snacks #space #chemistry
