waste-eating mushrooms digest plastic & become ingredient to make chocolate protein bars

"Odette Dierkx transforms waste-eating mushrooms that eat plastic into a powdered ingredient to make chocolate protein bars. Named Plastik Protein, the edible waste-eating product starts its process with mycoremediation, a biological method where fungi digest harmful materials and eat plastic waste such as PET bottles, polyurethane foam, and LDPE plastic bags. They then grow by using plastic as their food source, and during this stage, the mycelium breaks the plastic into smaller, harmless organic compounds."

"Once the plastic is fully digested, the clean mycelium remains, which is then collected, dried, and turned into a protein-rich powder. The dried material contains amino acids, fiber, and nutrients that can be used as food ingredients. The protein powder is later formed into the edible chocolate Plastik Protein Bar, made from the mycelium of the mushrooms that once consumed a specific type of plastic."

Waste-eating mushrooms are cultivated through mycoremediation, a biological method in which fungi digest plastics like PET, polyurethane (PUR), and LDPE. During growth, mycelium breaks plastic molecules into smaller, harmless carbon-based compounds and leaves behind clean organic matter. The clean mycelium is collected, dried, and milled into a protein-rich powder containing amino acids, fiber, and nutrients. The mycelium powder is combined with natural flavorings such as cocoa and nuts to form edible chocolate Plastik Protein Bars. Multiple mushroom species are matched to plastics: Oyster mushrooms for PET, Turkey Tail for LDPE, and Split Gill for PUR. No toxic waste remains after decomposition, and the product functions as a food ingredient.

Read at designboom | architecture & design magazine