Science & Technology

NASA has figured out a way to turn waste plastic into edible food

By T.K. Randall
August 25, 2026

Image: AI-generated (Midjourney) For years, scientists have struggled to find ways to effectively dispose of waste plastics, which are notoriously difficult to decompose in an environmentally friendly way.

Now, though, NASA has come up with a novel new method that involves using yeast to do something that might sound impossible - turn plastic into edible foodstuffs.

The research, which had aimed to find ways to recycle waste materials during long-haul space missions, may have considerable benefits here on Earth too.

The method works by using special yeasts to turn plastic into a kind of slurry that can then be made into everything from biscuits to food flavourings.

"My lab works on developing technologies for plastic upcycling," said project leader Dr Lahiru Jayakody of the Southern Illinois University Carbondale."We thought, why not look into food? Plastic is carbon and food is carbon."

As things stand, however, the resulting cookies have not actually been tasted - this can only happen once the team receives formal approval for testing in humans.

Clearly, the ability to turn plastic into food would prove considerably useful on a space mission, but it could also offer a way to create food on Earth in environments where it might otherwise be scarce.

The question is - would people actually want to eat plastic-derived biscuits ?

What effects might this have on someone over time ?

Until these concerns can be addressed, we're unlikely to see anyone surviving on a diet of such foods anytime soon.


Source: The Guardian

Tags: Plastic