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Scientists have invented the perfect meal for future Mars travelers: a salad made from soybeans, poppy seeds, barley, kale, peanuts, sweet potatoes and sunflower seeds. The salad was developed specifically for local production on Mars and is so nutritious that it should largely meet the specific nutritional needs of male astronauts.
Astronauts require a special diet because they burn more calories and need more micronutrients such as calcium than normal. Although a lot of research has been done in the past about exactly which nutrients astronauts need, no concrete recipes have yet been developed that future astronauts can use. Until now. The recipe in question – and accompanying research – was published in the journal ACS Food Science and Technology.
Recycling in space
Using computer models, scientists began searching for the perfect meal. The goal was to find the food sources that are the most nutrient-dense and require the least water to grow. The scientists then examined the sustainability of possible ingredients. For example, plants were not allowed to use too much fertilizer and it was important that plant parts could be recycled. So the end result was a vegetarian salad. Although the result was very nutritious, there were still a number of nutrients that the salad could not provide. The scientists therefore suggest adding it as a supplement, for example in the form of a chewable tablet.
The new salad for future astronauts. Image credit: Adapted from ACS Food Science & Technology 2023, DOI: 10.1021/acsfoodscitech.3c00396
Water consumption
The study’s results are significant because this is the first recipe that future astronauts will be able to grow on site. This makes it a very practical step towards potentially enabling longer trips to Mars. For example, limiting water consumption is very important because, for now, the water that astronauts will need will come primarily from Earth (see box). Water and other raw materials are therefore by definition scarce and very valuable in space. In addition, the scientists write that it is important that future astronauts have access to fresh ingredients. Especially on longer space missions, it is important that astronauts can eat something other than the packaged foods that astronauts currently have to eat.
Water on Mars
Although Mars is an extremely dry place, we also know that there is still water there. However, this is not liquid water: Due to the Red Planet’s extremely thin atmosphere, liquid water evaporates very quickly on the surface. Most water therefore occurs in the form of ice caps at the poles and as underground ice. In the long term, it is desirable that astronauts start using this water because scientists do not believe it is sustainable to continue taking water from Earth. Want to learn more about water on Mars? Then take a look here.
Finally, it is of course also important that the salad tastes good. To check this, the scientists conducted a small study in which they prepared the salad for four test subjects. And although one person was very enthusiastic, the other three were more moderate in their opinions. If we are allowed to travel to Mars in the future, the salad will at least be sensible to eat, judging by this little experiment.
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