The first time an astronaut ate in space was 1960. John Glenn proved that eating in space was possible. He had applesauce in tubes, sugar cubes and water. The menu of space foods was limited, not owing to the to less time in space but because of the fear that the swallowing of Food would be impossible, thanks to zero gravity. Another worrisome subject was the possible choking that might come after an astronaut ate in space. Even now, to cut back the danger of food related sickness or accidents, every food item that is sent to the ISS is thoroughly analyzed and tested. If the products fail the test, they’re thrown away immediately in an exceedingly safe way, and don’t get to be space foods. A successful dish to be sent to space has to be both safe to eat, and ready to provide many nutrients in one serving. Preparation varies with the food type; some foods like fruit are eaten in their natural forms, others require adding water, like macaroni and cheese or spaghetti. An oven is provided within the space platform to heat foods to the correct temperature. There aren’t exactly any refrigerators in space, so space food needs to be stored and prepared properly to avoid spoilage, especially on longer missions. Isn’t that exciting? However, even though cosmonauts can now eat in space, there are things that they just can’t. Buckle up to find about the foods you can’t eat in space. 

Breads and crumbs

Breads and cookies don’t go to space because all of the loose crumbs that can float around and get stuck in sensitive equipment. These crumbs also harm the astronauts by entering the nostrils or eyes.  Ouch! So If astronaut does want bread, they’re stuck with tortillas.

Salt and pepper

Salt and pepper particles will float around and cause damage either to the astronauts or the space stations, just like the case of bread. That does raise the question of tasteless, bland food. But to add a bit more flavor to foods, NASA scientists have come up with a better alternative: liquid spice!

Alcohol

Believe it or not, alcohol isn’t just banned to make sure  that the ISS crew members stay focused and alert. One of the foremost reasons liquor doesn’t seem to be allowed on board is because it could potentially damage the Environmental Control and therefore the life network system.

Carbonated drinks

Can you live without coke for 83 earth years? Carbonated drinks, by definition, contain dissolved carbonic acid gas. To induce the elimination of this gas, people typically end up releasing the gas with a burp. But as per NASA, carbonation and soda don’t separate in microgravity. Without gravity to push these bubbles out, they could become trapped in an astronaut’s gastrointestinal system and cause adverse health effects.

Fish

The best space foods are those which can be stored for an extended period of time without going bad. Fish and seafood doesn’t come under this sort. So if an astronaut does crave fish on his space journey, we hope they find a planet with water and marine life. 

Ice-cream

Just like bread crumbs, salt and pepper, frozen dessert too gets crumbly. In microgravity, these dehydrated treats could become so brittle that they crack apart entirely, and these icy treats float everywhere. While floating ice cream sounds magical, it’s a nightmare for those in outer space. 

Pizza

Even though some astronauts did have a ‘floating pizza party’ in space last year, we just haven’t figured out how to make pizza for space the right way. Its consistency is impossible to be maintained in outer space, resulting in a gummy food. Moreover, can you imagine toppings just randomly floating around? 

These were the Earth Yummies that don’t get to become space foods, no matter how delicious! Besides these, an astronaut can pretty much get anything they want, like fruits, nuts, spreads, chicken, beef, candy, brownies, etc. They are people, after all. And people have their own food choices. As far as it goes with beverages, astronauts are free to drink coffee, tea, fruit juices, fruit punches and lemonade when they’re in space. 

So you can’t eat these things in space, but can you still hanky-panky there? Find out now!

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