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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is working towards future long duration manned space flights beyond low earth orbit. The duration of these missions may be as long as 2.5 years and will likely include a stay on a lunar or planetary surface. For these long duration missions, a shelf life of 3 – 5 years for the prepackaged transit food system is required. Of the preservation methods currently being used for NASA flight food, the thermostabilized items have the longest shelf life and could be used on longer duration space missions. Currently four approved International Space Station thermostabilized packaged foods are undergoing accelerated shelf life testing at NASA/Johnson Space Center. Bread pudding was produced in the summer of 2001 and carrot coins, tuna noodle casserole, and apricot cobbler were produced for shelf life testing in the summer of 2002.