{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Balancing The Future","title":"Plastic-Derived Cookies: From Pollution to Nutrition","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1235,"description":"The International Union for Conservation of Nature estimates that more than 20 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the environment each year. At the same time, the UN World Food Programme warns that 266 million people worldwide face acute hunger in 2026. Could a single solution help address both challenges? Two scientists at Southern Illinois University Carbondale believe it could.  \n  \nIn this episode of Balancing the Future, Micah speaks with associate professor and microbiologist Dr. Lahiru Jayakody and graduate research assistant Sandhya Jayasekara at Southern Illinois University Carbondale about how they transformed polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles into cookies that look and smell like those on supermarket shelves.   \n  \nThe project is built on a surprisingly simple idea: plastic and food both contain carbon, so could one be transformed into the other? Using a proprietary method called oxidative hydrothermal dissolution, the researchers process carbon-rich materials such as PET plastic, discarded corn stalks and leaves, and another biomass.  \n \nThe process uses water and oxygen at suitable temperatures and pressures to break down tough materials into components that microbes can access. These components are then fed to specially programmed yeasts, which convert them into food ingredients such as proteins, fats, and acids. The researchers add fiber, starch, and sweetener, then extrude the mixture through a 3D printer to create protein-rich cookies called µBites (microbites).  \n  \nThe project was inspired not only by these two major societal challenges, but also by NASA's Deep Space Food Challenge, which called for ideas for sustainable food systems for Moon and Mars missions. Lahiru envisions a future in which plastic packaging used by astronauts could be repurposed as a food source during long space missions.  \n \nIn August 2026, a global communications campaign introduced the derived plastic cookie to the world. Lahiru and Sandhya reflect on...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/Pdz75J9vcHeJ4yds5tmYwMJQx0rFGsRV7sZb9oJezxg/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9iNzMy/ZmNiNGYyNDFmODQ1/NjdhZWY5YzlkYWEx/NzNmYi5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}