Sustainable aviation fuel made from food waste meets industry standards

Sustainable aviation fuel made from food waste meets industry standards

Airplane travel is more popular than ever, and our desire for fast transportation means jet fuel has become a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. Now, researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have discovered a novel way to address that problem—by converting food waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that meets industry standards without relying on fossil fuel blends.

Illinois team creates aviation fuel from food waste with circular economy benefits

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 31, 2025 Air travel continues to rise, making jet fuel a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have developed a new process for converting food waste into sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) that meets industry requirements and avoids fossil fuel blends. This approach, detailed in a recent Nature Communications study, could help the aviatio