Food to survive, food to live: Space Food

 Experts working for the Human Health and Performance Directorate's Space Food Systems (an organization focused on improving crew health and performance and reducing space-related risks) are responsible for evaluating, manufacturing and packaging the space food for each mission. They then deal with the development of recipes and the design of containers and packaging suitable for long-term storage. Additionally, they are expected to meet the nutritional needs of each crew member while respecting limited storage space, limited preparation options, and the challenges of eating in microgravity conditions.

Space Food Systems has four laboratories: a test kitchen which includes a preparation area and sensory test booths, a food processing laboratory, a food packaging laboratory and an analytical laboratory. Food scientists, dieticians, packaging engineers, and food systems technicians conduct experiments, plan projects and investigations, write specifications for space food products, and coordinate with other teams. All work, research and experiments are aimed at the Space Shuttle, the International Space Station (ISS) and future exploration missions.

NASA, from the beginning of its missions, had to solve two main problems related to food safety: crumbs, which inside space vehicles could damage the instrumentation, as well as be inhaled and cause respiratory problems, and diseases deriving from bacteria and toxins. In this regard, for the production of the first space food products of the Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs, the collaboration with the Pillsbury Company was very important. The crumb problem was quickly resolved by coating the food with material that prevented crumb formation, while quality control to prevent food poisoning required more complex studies which led to what is now known as Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP).

HACCP provides for a process of control and risk analysis not only of the final product but also of the raw materials and of the entire production process. Over time, this method has become the safety standard for the food industry in the United States and subsequently abroad. Today HACCP is a worldwide industry standard that safeguards foods from a wide range of potential chemical, physical and biological hazards.

A similar vetting process also occurs for foods that are sent into space. They must respect the parameters and controls of the NASA Space Food Laboratory, as well as the needs of the astronauts, which therefore become problems to be solved:

•   The duration of the missions tends to be longer and longer and there is neither a refrigerator nor a freezer in space, so food must be kept at room temperature in conditions of high pressure and microgravity. Therefore it is necessary that the shelf life (storage time) of the products, placed at room temperature, is at least 18-24 months. There are two types of preservative processes: thermostabilization (a sterilization process at very high temperatures that stabilizes the food) and freeze-drying (a process during which the food is frozen and then deprived of the water which sublimates it). Astronauts' foods must be healthy and keep their nutritional properties as intact as possible, even after undergoing conservative processes.

•  It is not possible to cook on board spacecraft as open flames are not permitted. Thus, thermostabilized foods are heated and freeze-dried foods are rehydrated with hot water.

• The choice of product packaging is fundamental because not all wrappings are suitable, in addition to the fact that storage space is limited. The packaging must therefore be light and not bulky. Everything is vacuum-packed, a minimal amount of oxygen inside the package is enough to definitively compromise the contents and make them inedible. In addition to air, light must not enter either. The pressure is high and the material must be resistant, in fact the packages are a multilayer of aluminum and plastic material.

• Astronauts find themselves in microgravity conditions where there is a risk of volatility: any product must not produce crumbs, there must be no parts that can become detached. For this reason, everything that can make crumbs (bread, breadsticks, crackers and dry biscuits) is eliminated unless it is safe and taken in a single bite. The same goes for excessively liquid foods that must be taken with a straw and must have a consistency such as not to cause volatile drop.

• On board, taste and smell can be altered due to microgravity which determines an accumulation of liquid in the nose and mouth, generating a possible alteration in the perception of tastes. It is a subjective sensation but, to improve this aspect, spices, aromatic herbs and sauces are used a lot, accentuating the taste and aroma of the food produced.

The technologies developed for space food, as well as for military uses, have also been transferred to the traditional food sector. Looking ahead, it would be possible to transfer the experience of space food to the terrestrial sector also with regard to situations in which a refrigerator is not available, such as in the case of natural disasters, extreme activities, and excursions to particular environments. Costs are high but could be brought down through more meals being produced.

Food is not just 'fuel' for survival, but sharing and conviviality, roots, and culture. The bonus food produced by Argotec is sent to the ISS in pre-established quantities, after which the astronaut can choose to consume it occasionally instead of the space food provided by NASA and the Russian Space Agency or he can decide to share it with the astronauts of the other nations present at the edge of the ISS. It is precisely here that the borderline between "food to survive" and "food to live" is crossed.