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High-antioxidant, blueberry-based gel-like products were developed using High Pressure Processing (HPP) as a potential nutritionally enhanced food product for space flight. Fruit-starch suspensions (30% tapioca starch / blueberry juice or blueberry puree) were treated with HPP (600 - 800 MPa, 30-80 °C, 10-30 min) to produce “fruit-gels” that were then analyzed for their physico-chemical and structural properties as well as for their total antioxidant capacity (TAC). A thermally induced “fruit-gel” (30% starch/juice; 90°C, 20 min) was used as a control. HPP-“fruit-gels” developed were overall highly acceptable. No significant difference between HPP-“fruit gels” and the control were found in water activity, moisture and “freezable” water content. Amylopectin retrogradation was less significant in the HPP-“fruit-gels”, suggesting higher stability and longer shelf-life of this product than the control.

In preparation for future planetary exploration, NASA-Johnson Space Center has developed a critical path plan for food and nutrition research needs. The plan highlights the risk factors pertaining to food and nutrition associated with exposure to the space flight environment as well as the possible consequences if no corrective measures are implemented. Included in the plan are the initiating events such as microgravity, remote environment and mission duration, which obviously impact the risk factors. The plan includes points of intervention where mitigating factors can be implemented to avoid outcomes such as malnutrition and unsafe foods. Physiological changes induced by lack of gravity, as well as increased exposure to radiation, may alter nutrient bio-availability and/or nutrient requirements. An inadequate food system, whether due to technical limitations or nutritional shortcomings, can result in serious consequences.

Current projections for the crop mix in the Bio-Plex and the future Lunar bioregenerative life support system indicate that without supplemental oil production, the crew's diet will be extremely low in fat, with little refined oil available for food processing or preparation. Although soybeans, peanuts and dwarf brassica (similar to canola) have been suggested as oil crops, each one poses significant problems either in horticulture, harvesting, productivity or byproduct utilization. An alternative to plant oils is “single-cell oil” or SCO. Lipid-accumulating “oleaginous” micro-organisms may accumulate up to 60% of their dry weight as triglycerides. Their high growth rates enable them to synthesize lipids with far greater productivity than higher plant systems. The current top candidate species for use in a bioregenerative system is a yeast, Cryptococcus curvatus.

In preparation for the 21st Century, NASA Johnson Space Center is designing and building a habitat (Bio-Plex) intended for use in long duration missions where all life support systems will be recycled and reused. Crops grown on-board will be used for air and water recycling and also serve as a food source. Space food development for Bio-Plex marks a departure from previous NASA missions yet some basic principles still apply. The differences and similarities will be discussed. The United States space food program has progressed from tubes and cubes in the earlier years to eating familiar food from open containers using normal utensils. All space food development problems include weight and volume restrictions, nutrition, crew acceptability and consumption, and management of food generated waste. To date, food for spaceflight has been carried onboard or delivered in space. Preparation has been limited to rehydration and heating to serving temperature.