Why astronauts avoid eating these 5 foods in space?

In space, astronauts certainly have dietary restrictions, as there would be no doctors available for immediate treatment if they were to get sick. Additionally, the microgravity conditions in space are significantly different from those on Earth. So, what foods do astronauts avoid consuming to ensure their health and meet environmental requirements?

According to a report from The Huffington Post, even though astronauts have some food choices in space, these foods are often packaged several months in advance. Additionally, they must learn how to eat in a microgravity environment as their food and utensils float around.

Vickie Kloeris, a food scientist at NASA, emphasized the importance of caring about what astronauts eat in space, as keeping astronauts healthy, happy, and well-fed is a crucial part of any space mission.

NASA categorizes foods that astronauts can eat into 8 types. The first type is rehydratable food, where water has been removed and can be rehydrated before consumption, such as oats, rice, instant noodles, and powdered drinks.

The second type is thermostabilized food, which includes heat-processed items like canned fish, fruits, and vegetables. The third type is intermediate moisture food, which has had some water removed, including dried fruits and jams.

Next is irradiated food, exposed to ionizing radiation, often used with meat products. Then there are frozen foods like chicken pot pie and shelf-stable natural foods like nuts.

The last two categories are fresh foods, such as unprocessed vegetables or fruits (to be consumed quickly), and refrigerated foods, like dairy products.

In terms of foods to avoid, space experts mention 5 types:

Foodborne illness, commonly known as food poisoning, is something no one wants to experience, especially in space where vomiting can create messy and odorous situations due to microgravity.

Many foods pose the risk of food poisoning, including undercooked meats or seafood, unpasteurized dairy products, and unwashed fruits and vegetables. Since the International Space Station lacks a food-specific fridge, everything must be shelf-stable.

Kloeris mentioned that all foods undergo safety and taste testing by astronauts themselves. Nutritionists review the astronauts’ preferred menus to ensure their diet is balanced.

Space military meals are high in salt and fat, beneficial for troops in replacing electrolytes lost through sweating in the desert and providing calories. However, excess salt intake can worsen bone density loss, a known side effect of microgravity.

NASA explains that without preventive measures in space, astronauts could lose bone density monthly. Although exercise helps alleviate bone loss and muscle degradation, diet also plays a role. Salt exacerbates bone loss and is advised against for osteoporosis.

Foods that produce crumbs, like potato chips, pose risks in space due to microgravity. On Earth, crumbs fall to the floor, but in space, they float and can cause issues by entering air filters, instruments, and even astronauts’ eyes.

Changes in bodily fluids in microgravity often lead astronauts to feel congestion in their faces and sinuses, affecting their sense of smell and taste. Hence, they tend to enjoy using hot sauce to add flavor to their meals.

Experts note that food not only provides nutrition but also has psychological benefits, encouraging social connections and team cooperation among astronauts.

NASA and the International Space Station prohibit astronauts from consuming alcohol. Initially for safety reasons, it was later discovered that ethanol, the main component of alcohol, does not degrade when recycling water and air in the space station. When ethanol enters the air, it becomes a pollutant in the air system, eventually ending up as a contaminant in the water system, according to Kloeris.