Long term food stability for extended space missions: a review

Watkins, P J; Hughes, Joanne; Gamage, T.V.; Knoerzer, Kai; Ferlazzo, Mélanie L.; Bánati, Richard B.

doi:10.1016/j.lssr.2021.12.003

Cited by 15 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 104 publications

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“…As regards the stability of the nutraceuticals in Space-stored food, while vitamin A declines but with sufficient concentrations kept after 3 years of storage, the vitamin C content in most fruit products degrades between 32 and 83% ( Cooper et al., 2017 ). Moreover, Vitamin E has been found to be the most sensitive to irradiation during storage ( Watkins et al., 2022 ). According to the aforementioned criteria, the highest priority among the parameters of the “Phytonutrient” category, in the first selection phase, was assigned to ascorbic acid, tocopherols, β-carotene and polyphenols.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying productivity and phytonutrient profile criteria in modelling species selection of microgreens as Space crops for astronaut consumption

et al. 2023

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IntroductionLong-duration missions in outer Space will require technologies to regenerate environmental resources such as air and water and to produce food while recycling consumables and waste. Plants are considered the most promising biological regenerators to accomplish these functions, due to their complementary relationship with humans. Plant cultivation for Space starts with small plant growth units to produce fresh food to supplement stowed food for astronauts’ onboard spacecrafts and orbital platforms. The choice of crops must be based on limiting factors such as time, energy, and volume. Consequently, small, fast-growing crops are needed to grow in microgravity and to provide astronauts with fresh food rich in functional compounds. Microgreens are functional food crops recently valued for their color and flavor enhancing properties, their rich phytonutrient content and short production cycle. Candidate species of microgreens to be harvested and eaten fresh by crew members, belong to the families Brassicaceae, Asteraceae, Chenopodiaceae, Lamiaceae, Apiaceae, Amarillydaceae, Amaranthaceae, and Cucurbitaceae.MethodsIn this study we developed and applied an algorithm to objectively compare numerous genotypes of microgreens intending to select those with the best productivity and phytonutrient profile for cultivation in Space. The selection process consisted of two subsequent phases. The first selection was based on literature data including 39 genotypes and 25 parameters related to growth, phytonutrients (e.g., tocopherol, phylloquinone, ascorbic acid, polyphenols, lutein, carotenoids, violaxanthin), and mineral elements. Parameters were implemented in a mathematical model with prioritization criteria to generate a ranking list of microgreens. The second phase was based on germination and cultivation tests specifically designed for this study and performed on the six top species resulting from the first ranking list. For the second selection, experimental data on phytonutrients were expressed as metabolite production per day per square meter.Results and discussionIn the final ranking list radish and savoy cabbage resulted with the highest scores based on their productivity and phytonutrient profile. Overall, the algorithm with prioritization criteria allowed us to objectively compare candidate species and obtain a ranking list based on the combination of numerous parameters measured in the different species. This method can be also adapted to new species, parameters, or re-prioritizing the parameters for specific selection purposes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Applying productivity and phytonutrient profile criteria in modelling species selection of microgreens as Space crops for astronaut consumption

et al. 2023

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“…Plants and microorganisms can both fixate CO2 on Mars and can be used to produce food, oxygen, and other resources. Plants can also create a more Earthlike environment, which may benefit residents mentally [37], [59]. The ability of autotrophic organisms to fix atmospheric carbon dioxide and turn it into organic matter through photosynthesis makes them a promising option for biomass production on Mars.…”

Section: Food Productionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sustaining a Mars Colony through Integration of Single-Cell Oil in Biological Life Support Systems

Spalviņš

Kusnere

Raita

2023

Environmental and Climate Technologies

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As humanity sets its sights on establishing a sustainable and prosperous colony on Mars, the main challenges to be overcome are ensuring a reliable and nutritious food supply for settlers, feedstock for 3D printing, fuel and pharmaceuticals. While various solutions for production of essential products on Mars have been proposed, there is growing interest in the use of microorganisms as the main production units. This scientific review article proposes a novel concept of using single cell oil (SCO) as a versatile feedstock for various applications in a bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) for space missions. The authors suggest using outputs from autotrophic systems, such as cyanobacteria biomass and oxygen, to cultivate SCO-producing microorganisms from the class Labyrinthulomycetes. The produced SCO can be used for food, fuel, 3D printing materials, and pharmaceuticals. This approach can potentially reduce the importance of carbohydrates in space foods, offering various benefits, including a reduction in food weight, simpler, lightweight, more compact bioreactors, launch cost reduction, potentially improved mental and cognitive performance, and reduced fatigue for the crew. The authors also suggest using SCO as the feedstock for the production of 3D printable filaments and resins and as a supplementary fuel source for space colonies. While the concept is hypothetical, the theoretical foundation is solid, and this approach could potentially become an important element required for the establishment of a successful Mars colony.

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“…However, a given probiotic could be engineered to exhibit species-specific inhibition of the pathogen and its associated infection [64]. The long-term stability of lactic acid bacteria starters for probiotics production during extended space missions could be problematic because of the impact of radiation [93]. Probably, spores of bacilli and cells of probiotics naturally incorporated into cellulose fibers might be used for in-flight probiotic/synbiotic food production [32,50].…”

Section: Study Of the Metagenome Of The Kmc And The Genomes Of Komaga...mentioning

confidence: 99%

The Conceptual Approach to the Use of Postbiotics Based on Bacterial Membrane Nanovesicles for Prophylaxis of Astronauts’ Health Disorders

ORLOVSKA¹,

PODOLICH²,

KUKHARENKO³

et al. 2022

Kosm. nauka tehnol.

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The functional fermented foods containing live microorganisms and their components are necessary for the normal functioning of the human body as normal gut microbiota needs fuel from external microbial organisms and their nanostructures — membrane vesicles (MVs), excreting outside. The сoncept that MVs may contribute to astronauts’ health probably to the same extent as their parental microbial cells do and be a temporary substitute for living microbial cells until we know more about the behavior of microbes in the space environment. The advantage of MVs is that they are not alive and cannot be changed under unfavorable conditions as microbial organisms may be. As the model, we selected MVs of a robust to environmental factors kombucha multimicrobial culture (KMC), known for its health-promoting characteristics for humans. We exposed KMC on the International Space Station in a hybrid space/Mars-like environment for an initial proof-of-concept stage. In the exposure study, KMC has survived a long-term period in harsh conditions, and the MVs generated by post-flight kombucha community members did not acquire toxicity, despite the changed membrane composition in the environment imitated conditions on the Mars surface. This observation, together with our KMC metagenomic and comparative genomic analyses of the dominant KMC bacterium Komagataeibacter oboediens, showed that the ground reference sample and spaceexposed ones were similar in topology and maintained their stability. In the next stage, we assessed the fitness, safety, and biodistribution of MVs of post-flight K. oboediens and showed that they were altered, but the modifications in membrane structure did not result in toxicity acquisition. Our proof-of-concept strategy is discussed in this review in line with the literature.

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Long term food stability for extended space missions: a review

Cited by 15 publications

References 104 publications

Applying productivity and phytonutrient profile criteria in modelling species selection of microgreens as Space crops for astronaut consumption

Applying productivity and phytonutrient profile criteria in modelling species selection of microgreens as Space crops for astronaut consumption

Sustaining a Mars Colony through Integration of Single-Cell Oil in Biological Life Support Systems

The Conceptual Approach to the Use of Postbiotics Based on Bacterial Membrane Nanovesicles for Prophylaxis of Astronauts’ Health Disorders

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