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High School Juniors Create 'Flavor Strips' For Astronauts

Posted by samzenpus on from the tastes-like-space dept.

Cazekiel writes "The sense of taste for astronauts is dulled by microgravity, but four high schoolers participating in the Spirit of Innovation Challenge have come up with a solution: Flavor Strips. They put a little more kick into space-food; from simple salt-and-pepper to Asian spices, astronauts get to add more taste to their meals without the space traveler, as Myra Halpin, a chemistry and research instructor at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics says of one tale told to her, 'spinning himself around to get the hot sauce out of the bottle.'"

8 of 23 comments (clear)

  1. Perfect! by DWMorse · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sure the next space shuttle crew will really appreci-.... Awww I joked myself sad. -_-

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  2. If anyone else was curious... by samazon · · Score: 3, Informative

    This article explains some of the theories related to why food tastes different in microgravity.

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    I have the hiccups.
  3. cool idea... by O('_')O_Bush · · Score: 2

    It solves several problems with liquid spices (packaging/density) and dry (imagine salt/pepper dust floating around in 0 G).

    I don't know what NASA's current soln is (other than bland food/tube food), but any advancement in making space easier to inhabit is a great one.

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    1. Re:cool idea... by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 2

      It is my understanding that one of the more boring elements of 'The Right Stuff'(tm) possessed by astronauts is the ability to subsist for an unlimited time on Mk. IV Standardized Nutritive Paste.

    2. Re:cool idea... by tlhIngan · · Score: 2

      I don't know what NASA's current soln is (other than bland food/tube food), but any advancement in making space easier to inhabit is a great one.

      Those days are long gone. These days it's pouches like MREs, except the food selection is limited - it's difficult to pour or put stuff on food so post-spicing is practically impossible - the best they can manage is rehydrating and heating. Dry powders have a habit of going everywhere and clogging things up. Wet spices just ball up and spashes turn into smaller balls that hide everywhere.

      And no crumbly food - about the only bread available is a tortilla.

      No more tubes - it's all pouches now.

  4. Good thing this wasn't in Japan by Steve+Furlong · · Score: 2

    If I'd seen "High School Juniors Create Flavor Strips for Astronauts" in a Japanese news site, I'd have just known panties were involved.

  5. I always wondered why..... by Lumpy · · Score: 2

    The space program did not use things like Fruit leathers and food leathers. It's been known to backpackers and camping people for centuries.

    a little flavorless gelatin and the "spices" spread out and let dry. it turns into a leather that you can pack easily and use without effort.

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  6. What is this? I don't even by xerxesVII · · Score: 2

    "astronauts get to add more taste to their meals without the space traveler"

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