Story perspectives

NASA-Funded Yeast Turns PET Plastic Into Space Food µBites

8/24/2026

Summary

Story summary

Engineered yeasts convert PET plastic and crop waste into protein, fats, acids, and vitamins.
The work is funded by NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge for long-duration space missions.
A proprietary oxidative hydrothermal dissolution process breaks down plastic and plant material for microbial consumption.
The resulting ingredients are mixed with starch, fiber, sweetener and 3D-printed into disc-shaped µBites.
Safety data show µBites are safe, pending human taste-test approval.

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Story summary

Engineered yeasts convert PET plastic and crop waste into protein, fats, acids, and vitamins.
The work is funded by NASA’s Deep Space Food Challenge for long-duration space missions.
A proprietary oxidative hydrothermal dissolution process breaks down plastic and plant material for microbial consumption.
The resulting ingredients are mixed with starch, fiber, sweetener and 3D-printed into disc-shaped µBites.
Safety data show µBites are safe, pending human taste-test approval.