Food Processing in an enclosed environment: hydroponically grown wheat to bread

A food system based on raw products obtained from higher plants may be a central feature of a biologically based Advanced Life Support System (ALSS) used on long-duration missions to Moon or Mars. Such a food system is dramatically different from previous systems used on the Shuttle or from what is currently planned for the International Space Station. ALSS requires an integrated approach addressing all aspects of food production, from cultivation through processing to meal preparation. This article characterizes the full process of adding bread to the food system, from production of grain through the baking. Bread, baked using controlled environment-grown wheat, was found to be highly acceptable in sensory analysis tests when compared to bread baked using conventional commercial flour. Chief volatiles released during the rising and baking process included ethanol and acetaldehyde. Flour milled from controlled environment-grown wheat was higher in potassium, sodium, iron, and phosphorus than conventional commercial flour. The impacts of these findings are discussed.