09/03/2026
Have you read A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L'Engle's classic 1962 science fiction novel? In Camazotz the children are fed synthetic nutrition that actually tastes like sand, but they are mind-controlled to experience it as a delicious turkey dinner. This is disturbingly close to what is happening with ultra-processed food today! Without the artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners, these food-like substances would be much less enticing. Even more alarming, scientists are now working on making cookies out of plastic and other non-edible wastes! They are using genetically modified yeasts to transform plastic waste into protein, fat, and flavoring compounds. After mixing with sugar and starch, these "cookies" are 3D printed and microwaved. Thankfully Microbites Cookies are not on the market yet (the research is being done for NASA), but I wouldn't be surprised if this turns into another green-washed "sustainable" product on our grocery store shelves that undermines our health in yet unknown ways!