By combining genetically modified bacteria with used plastic bottles, scientists have developed a technique that converts them into vanilla-flavour. Vanilla which is extracted from vanilla bean, has a characteristic taste and smell.
An engineered microorganism extracted vanillin from polyethylene terephthalate polymer (PET) plastics using a microbial broth heated to 37 degrees Celsius for a day, similar to conditions you would use for brewing beer. In the world, about one million plastic bottles are sold every minute, but only 14% are recycled. Those bottles can only be made into opaque fibers for clothing or carpets.
There is a growing global demand for vanillin. According to reports, in 2018, the demand for vanillin exceeded the supply of natural vanilla beans by 37,000 tonnes. Vanillin is currently synthesized primarily from chemicals derived from fossil fuels. Researcher from University of Edinburgh, Stephen Wallace, said tests demonstrated plastic can be used as a new carbon resource for creating high-value products.
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Researchers have previously used enzymes to break down plastic waste. In 2018, a mutant enzyme was accidentally discovered which could break down plastic bottles and subsequent research discovered an even stronger enzyme that consumes plastic bottles more rapidly.
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