A strange Mexican cactus can now be turned into biodegradable plastic bags. In the dry plains of Zacatecas, Mexico, researchers have developed a biodegradable plastic made entirely from the nopal cactus — a thick, spiny desert plant traditionally used in food and medicine. Using a cold-press method that extracts polysaccharides and mucilage from the cactus leaves, scientists have created a plastic that decomposes naturally within 30 days. Unlike bioplastics made from corn or starch, cactus-based

Polysaccharides