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Food processing on a space station: feasibility and opportunities
1Cook College, Department of Food Science, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8520, USA.
Life Support & Biosphere Science : International Journal of Earth Space
|September 7, 2001
Summary
This study proposes advanced food processing for space missions, enhancing crop utilization and crew well-being. Integrating technologies like extrusion and fermentation boosts food variety, nutrition, and shelf life for isolated environments.
Area of Science:
- Food science and technology
- Space exploration
- Advanced Life Support systems
Background:
- Current food processing for space missions is limited, impacting crew diet diversity and psychological well-being.
- Advanced Life Support (ALS) systems offer potential for in-situ crop production, but processing these crops into palatable and stable food forms remains a challenge.
- Existing food systems may not adequately support long-duration missions in isolated environments.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose an alternative strategy for processing plants into diverse, palatable, and shelf-stable foods for space or isolated stations.
- To explore the integration of advanced food processing technologies within an Advanced Life Support (ALS) framework.
- To enhance the nutritional value, variety, and psychological benefits of food for crews in isolated environments.
Main Methods:
- Consideration of food processing under regular gravity (1 G) and hypogravity (< 1 G) conditions.
- Inclusion of small-scale advanced food processing techniques such as thermoplastic extrusion, homogenization, centrifugation, and fermentation.
- Development of processing flow sheets for manufacturing individual food products using unit operations and associated equipment.
Main Results:
- Advanced processing methods can significantly increase the variety, palatability, nutritional value, and shelf stability of foods derived from ALS crops.
- Flexible and multifunctional processing techniques minimize food item preparation time.
- Periodic processing of crop harvests enables the creation of shelf-stable foods for long-term storage.
Conclusions:
- Integrating advanced food processing into ALS systems offers a viable strategy for improving food options in space and isolated environments.
- These methods enhance the sustainability and psychological support provided by food systems for crews.
- The proposed strategy addresses critical needs for long-term space habitation and exploration.