NASA food systems

Perchonok, Michele; Bourland, Charles T.

doi:10.1016/s0899-9007(02)00910-3

Cited by 105 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The overall microbial load in the air and on different surfaces during the entire mission was found to be moderate compared to non-confined occupied rooms, sampled at the German Aerospace Center, private households and suburbs in Cologne (scientific experiment MICHAm, Microbial Ecology of Confined Habitats and Human Health, conducted in the context of MARS500) [15], and in any case, the CFU counts did not exceed the maximum allowed aboard the ISS [25]. Resources of water and food, whose composition reflected the diet used in the International Space Station (ISS) [26], were limited as in a real space flight. Specifically, two water supply systems were used: the system of drinking water supply (drinking water and for food cooking) and the system of domestic water for hygienic demands.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota in people sharing a confined environment, a 520-day ground-based space simulation, MARS500

et al. 2017

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BackgroundThe intestinal microbial communities and their temporal dynamics are gaining increasing interest due to the significant implications for human health. Recent studies have shown the dynamic behavior of the gut microbiota in free-living, healthy persons. To date, it is not known whether these dynamics are applicable during prolonged life sharing in a confined and controlled environment.ResultsThe MARS500 project, the longest ground-based space simulation ever, provided us with a unique opportunity to trace the crew microbiota over 520 days of isolated confinement, such as that faced by astronauts in real long-term interplanetary space flights, and after returning to regular life, for a total of 2 years. According to our data, even under the strictly controlled conditions of an enclosed environment, the human gut microbiota is inherently dynamic, capable of shifting between different steady states, typically with rearrangements of autochthonous members. Notwithstanding a strong individuality in the overall gut microbiota trajectory, some key microbial components showed conserved temporal dynamics, with potential implications for the maintenance of a health-promoting, mutualistic microbiota configuration.ConclusionsSharing life in a confined habitat does not affect the resilience of the individual gut microbial ecosystem, even in the long term. However, the temporal dynamics of certain microbiota components should be monitored when programming future mission simulations and real space flights, to prevent breakdowns in the metabolic and immunological homeostasis of the crewmembers.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40168-017-0256-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota in people sharing a confined environment, a 520-day ground-based space simulation, MARS500

et al. 2017

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“…For a mission to Mars, a combination of prepackaged foods, bulk ingredients, and crops will be used to provide a well-balanced diet. [1,2] Bulk food items may be sent to the surface ahead of or along with the crew to establish a shortterm food system while housing is being constructed and crops are being grown. Once a base is established, a Martian-grown vegan diet will be the main source of food due to the distance and high costs of a continuous re-supply alternative and the mission objective of maintaining an enclosed bioregenerative habitat.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Low Dose Gamma-Radiation on Select Wheat Properties

Stoklosa

Perchonok

Little

et al. 2012

International Journal of Food Properties

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The effects of space-travel-relevant radiation doses (gamma radiation) on structure, function, and antioxidant properties of select wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) were investigated. Following radiation treatment, proteins were analyzed using SDS-PAGE, mixograph, and atomic force microscopy methods. Starch granule damage and pasting curve functionality were evaluated; lipid oxidation was determined using a thiobarbituric acid reactive substances method; and antioxidant capacity was measured using 2,2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl analyses. Increasing radiation exposure resulted in significant differences between wheat cultivars. Therefore, low-dose gamma-radiation affects wheat, and differences exist between cultivars, so careful consideration is needed when selecting wheat for use in elevated radiation conditions. The Apogee cultivar is likely a better NASA candidate crop than Perigee; however, Yecora Rojo, Parshall, and/or Yavaros 79 cultivars may be more stable to radiation and provide better food functionality traits. Ultimately, wheat should be protected from radiation exposure during space travel, if possible, to maintain quality.

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“…These include animal feeding studies lasting for several generations in several different species, including mice, rats and dogs (WHO, 1999; EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials Enzymes Flavourings Processing Aids-CEF, 2011). NASA astronauts have been eating irradiated foods when they fly in space since the 1970s (Perchonok and Bourland, 2002). Irradiation-induced changes in food components are generally small and not significantly different from those reported in other conventional preservation processes, especially those based on thermal treatment (EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials Enzymes Flavourings Processing Aids-CEF, 2011; Shahbaz et al, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluating the Effects of Gamma-Irradiation for Decontamination of Medicinal Cannabis

Hazekamp¹

2016

Front. Pharmacol.

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In several countries with a National medicinal cannabis program, pharmaceutical regulations specify that herbal cannabis products must adhere to strict safety standards regarding microbial contamination. Treatment by gamma irradiation currently seems the only method available to meet these requirements. We evaluated the effects of irradiation treatment of four different cannabis varieties covering different chemical compositions. Samples were compared before and after standard gamma-irradiation treatment by performing quantitative UPLC analysis of major cannabinoids, as well as qualitative GC analysis of full cannabinoid and terpene profiles. In addition, water content and microscopic appearance of the cannabis flowers was evaluated. This study found that treatment did not cause changes in the content of THC and CBD, generally considered as the most important therapeutically active components of medicinal cannabis. Likewise, the water content and the microscopic structure of the dried cannabis flowers were not altered by standard irradiation protocol in the cannabis varieties studied. The effect of gamma-irradiation was limited to a reduction of some terpenes present in the cannabis, but keeping the terpene profile qualitatively the same. Based on the results presented in this report, gamma irradiation of herbal cannabis remains the recommended method of decontamination, at least until other more generally accepted methods have been developed and validated.

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NASA food systems

Cited by 105 publications

References 7 publications

Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota in people sharing a confined environment, a 520-day ground-based space simulation, MARS500

Temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota in people sharing a confined environment, a 520-day ground-based space simulation, MARS500

Effects of Low Dose Gamma-Radiation on Select Wheat Properties

Evaluating the Effects of Gamma-Irradiation for Decontamination of Medicinal Cannabis

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