Scientists are turning plastic into edible cookies, but don’t worry, the snacks won’t taste too different at all.
Over the years, plenty of researchers have dug into trying to find new sources of food, while others have turned mummies into bread that tastes nice too. This has led to advancements for vegetarians, as they’ve been able to eat meat that tastes like the real thing, without actually being made of meat.
Now, over in Chicago, researchers have been finding a new way to make cookies – using plastic. Before you think that someone is shoving old water bottles and tubes into an oven and coming out with a sweet treat, there is a lot more hard work that is going into it.
As per the American Chemical Society, researchers from Southern Illinois University Carbondale have created a “treat from trash,” by dissecting the microbes from plastic bottles.
Researchers are turning plastic into cookies
According to the ACS’ report, the scientists have taken the microbes from plastic waste and transformed it into edible food in the form of a cookie. This has involved the use of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which can be rebuilt into “something like a protein” with different chemical reactions.
This also includes the use of discarded corn plant stalks, leaves, and other biomass, before pieces are fed to programmed yeasts, and a 3D printer is used to extrude the finished product – known as µBites.
“We were trying to develop technologies for plastic upcycling to make more valuable products. We thought, why not focus on making food? Because plastic is carbon and food is carbon,” said Associate Professor Lahiru Jayakody.
You’re not going to find the cookies on the shelves of your local supermarket anytime soon, as the researchers are awaiting approval to undergo taste tests. However, they say they are “safe to eat” right now.
Elsewhere, other researchers have made a sweet discovery by spotting sugar that is often found in raspberries is actually in outer space.
If you want something that is actually on the ground, well, KFC has an Oreo chicken burger complete with a cookie for a bun, and a Flamin’ Hot Cheetos menu with a Cheetos Dirty Soda.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
