Out of This World Space Food

Those of us who were kids in the early seventies, might remember a slightly edible, vaguely food-like product called Space Food Sticks. (If I remember correctly it was somewhat like a softened Tootsie Roll in texture, with the main flavor being “sweet.”)  And they actually were fed to astronauts at that time. But today’s astronauts have it much better when mealtime rolls around, according to “Do's and Don’ts of Space Food,” in the January newsletter put out by International Food Information Council (IFIC).

According to the article, those early food-like items have been replaced by NASA’s Space Food Systems Laboratory with “more than 250 different menu items ranging from traditional comfort foods such as macaroni and cheese and beef stroganoff to more ethnic fare such as teriyaki chicken, hot and sour soup, and chicken fajitas” that take the form of “rehydratable, freeze-dried foods and beverages in vacuum packages or heat-and-eat thermostabilized (treated under heat and pressure) foods in pouches. “ The article mentions that they are also allowed “a limited amount of fresh foods such as fruit, candies, cookies or special beverages.” And because there’s a joint agreement between nations on the International Space Station, astronauts can choose things like  tvorog (Russian curd cheese), beef curry, or duck confit with capers.

For the most parts, it’s been food science that has allowed the progression from Space Food Sticks (which were also unfortunately―unless you happen to remember them fondly― a product resulting from food science) to real edible foods in space. It’s not easy to make such a wide variety of foods stable and safe as well as tasty for an 18-month stint in space.

So, while it’s true that not everyone can grow up to be an astronaut, perhaps, as a food scientist, you can be in charge of feeding them.

-Lynn A. Kuntz