MOSCOW. Oct 28 (Interfax) - Freeze-dried food would be the best ration for expeditions to the Moon and Mars, Andrei Balandin of the Cosmonaut Training Center said, referring to the opinion of specialists.
"No changes to the food ration in the future flights to the Moon and Mars are planned at present. It is possible that something will be grown and processed on board spaceships and stations, but for now, freeze-dried food is the best option," the press service of the Cosmonaut Training Center quoted Balandin as saying in a statement.
Crews of the International Space Station (ISS) have stopped eating from tube-shaped containers, which existed at the outset of manned space launches. Such food cannot be used during long space flights because of its limited shelf life and considerable weight.
At present, ISS crews eat freeze-dried food, i.e., food which has undergone sublimation, via which moisture is removed in a vacuum. Such food is prepared for consumption in space with the use of hot or cold water. Sublimation preserves nutrients, microelements, vitamins, natural smell, taste, and even the shape of food. In addition, it can be stored for several years without any harm to its quality.
"Not all space food is freeze-dried: some food, such as azu (meat stew), pudding, beef with vegetables, omelet with chicken liver, and other things, is stored in cans of various sizes," the statement said.
Before leaving for outer space, crews taste Russian space food in order to prevent possible food allergies and individual food intolerance and to develop additional food sets.
"A ration based on regularly supplied space food has been developed for cosmonauts staying on board the ISS. The food consumed every day has the optimal balance of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. This is the core of Russia's 16-day food ration, which covers the basic needs of a cosmonaut's metabolism and energy used on fitness exercises. A total of 2,000 kcal," Balandin said.
Crewmembers receive additional food sets which each of them may order after trying.
Cosmonauts consume boiled rice with dried apricot, gingerbread cookies, sturgeon in aspic, mushroom soup, meat-and-vegetable solyanka soup, pumpernickel bread, juice, pork with lecso, coffee, tea, and fresh fruit and vegetables delivered by resupply ships.