Revolutionary Research Project Wins Future Insight Prize 2021
In a groundbreaking research project, Ting Lu from the University of Illinois and Stephen Techtmann from the Michigan Technological University have been awarded the Future Insight Prize 2021 by Merck KGaA, a German chemical and pharmaceutical company. The project, titled “From Waste to Food: A Generator of Future Food,” aims to develop a technology that can convert plastic waste into protein powder that is safe for human consumption, contains essential nutrients, and promotes good health. The researchers sought out bacteria that could break down polymers, but found that the existing ones worked slowly and incompletely. They then modified the most suitable bacteria to quickly break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a commonly used plastic, into its molecular components. The microbes produce proteins, fatty acids, and other building blocks of nutrition, resulting in a brown sugar-like substance that can be turned into edible powder.
Merck believes that this process can “convert waste products into nutritionally valuable ingredients, solving two problems at once: food scarcity due to the growing world population and the disposal of plastic waste.” The Future Insight Prize 2021, whose theme was “Food Generation,” was awarded to the scientists for their innovative work. The one million euro prize money will be invested in further developing the project, with the aim of increasing the efficiency of the microbes and improving the nutritional value of the protein powder. However, it is likely to take several years before the process is ready for large-scale industrial use.
This research project has the potential to revolutionize the way we deal with plastic waste and food scarcity. By converting plastic waste into safe and nutritious food, we can reduce the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and oceans, while also providing a sustainable source of food for the growing population. The Future Insight Prize 2021 recognizes the importance of this work and provides the necessary funding to continue the research. As Ting Lu said, “From waste to food is not just a slogan, it’s a reality.”
