Updated

Reported on 13 September 2026, scientists announced they had engineered yeast capable of converting PET plastic and agricultural waste into food ingredients, which were then used to make protein-rich, 3D-printed cookies the team calls µBites. The microbial system produces proteins and fats from feedstocks that would otherwise be discarded, effectively upcycling waste into nutrition. The work was developed in part for NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, a competition seeking compact food-production technologies for long-duration crewed missions. The concept addresses two problems at once: plastic pollution on Earth and the difficulty of resupplying food on missions to destinations such as Mars, where every kilogram launched is costly. Turning onboard waste streams into edible biomass could reduce the mass of provisions a crew must carry. Researchers noted that safety, regulatory approval and consumer acceptance remain substantial hurdles before such foods could be widely used. The project illustrates growing overlap between synthetic biology, circular-economy engineering and space life support.