Texas A&M Student Innovates Space Cuisine with Research

News Summary

Graduate student Kendall Howie is researching electron beam processing to enhance the quality of space food at Texas A&M University. This revolutionary technique aims to preserve flavor and nutritional content while combating spoilage, thus improving astronauts’ dining experiences. Traditional methods often compromise food texture and taste, but Howie’s work promises a gourmet alternative as astronauts prepare for long missions, including potential trips to Mars. As she approaches her dissertation defense, the future of space gastronomy looks promising.

Texas A&M’s Ph.D. Student is Working to Spice Up Space Cuisine!

In College Station, Texas, a fascinating project is taking place that could change the way astronauts eat in space. Graduate student Kendall Howie at Texas A&M University is diving deep into the world of electron beam processing as a method to sterilize food. The goal? To enhance the dining experience for astronauts aboard commercial space stations. This research could potentially turn bland space food into gourmet treats!

The Taste Testing Begins!

On a significant day in late February, Kendall put on her scientist hat alongside her fellow student, Michael Rivera-Orsini, to conduct titrations on some delightful orange juice. They were measuring its pH and titratable acidity, which play an essential role in assessing a food’s preservation qualities. Kendall’s research focuses not just on keeping food safe, but also on ensuring that it retains its quality, nutritional content, and overall sensory appeal—all crucial for a fulfilling meal, especially when you’re floating in microgravity.

Why the Change?

Traditionally, astronauts have had to rely on methods like freeze-drying to preserve their meals, but these techniques often compromise texture and flavor. With this new research, Kendall aims to present a more appetizing alternative to both the space industry and regulators. Imagine tasting a meal that hasn’t lost its original charm in the vastness of space; that’s the dream she’s working towards!

The Science Behind It

So, what exactly is electron beam processing? This technology is already in use in the U.S. for some uncooked foods, like raw meat and lettuce. However, challenges arise when considering its application on cooked foods—the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to approve this treatment for meals that have already gone through the cooking process. To get around this, high doses of electron beams would be necessary, which could alter flavor and texture. This is still being carefully studied in Kendall’s research.

Food with a Twist

For her experiments, Kendall has taken a rather delicious path—she purchased around 60 containers of her beloved H-E-B crab-stuffed salmon, broccoli, and mashed potatoes to analyze how these foods react to electron beam treatment. After cooking and sealing these meals, she subjected them to accelerated electrons to combat spoilage microorganisms. The best part? Kendall is investigating potential changes that occur after treatment, such as odors, color, and texture. Early findings noted some volatile compounds tied to smell, but the fishy odor was not detected by human senses—a promising sign!

Bringing Gourmet to Space

Currently synthesizing her research results, Kendall is keen to identify the ideal doses of electron beams needed to preserve flavor and quality of food meant for the long trek to Mars. Interestingly, some of the food shipped up to the International Space Station is prepared right at Texas A&M. As part of this ongoing effort, the university has teamed up with private sector partners and has even applied for funding to develop innovative food processing technologies for commercial space travel.

Looking Ahead

As she gears up to defend her dissertation in June, Kendall hopes to play a pivotal role in revolutionizing space meals. With dreams of astronauts enjoying meals like crab-stuffed salmon, the future is bright for gourmet space food! Let’s keep our fingers crossed that soon, every astronaut will be dining in style, no matter how far they are from home.