NASA Project Turns Plastic Waste into 3D-Printed Cookies

NASA has funded a novel project that turns plastic and agricultural waste into edible food for future space missions. By employing specially engineered yeast strains, the research team converts discarded polymers into a nutrient‑rich slurry that contains proteins, fats and flavor compounds suitable for human consumption.

The slurry is then fed into a 3D printer that extrudes it into disc‑shaped “cookies,” a form that is easy to store, transport, and consume in microgravity. The process not only recycles otherwise hazardous materials but also supplies astronauts with a compact, high‑calorie snack that can be produced on demand aboard spacecraft.

If the technology proves scalable, it could reduce the mass of food supplies carried into orbit and provide a sustainable way to manage waste in closed‑loop life‑support systems, advancing both space exploration and terrestrial waste‑management strategies.