Food study could help explain why meals taste bad in space

Scientists have conducted a study on common food flavors, which could help explain why astronauts report that their meals in space are tasteless.

Scientists at RMIT University conducted a studya world first, in the field of common food flavors, which could help explain why astronauts report that their meals in space taste bland and struggle to consume their normal food intake. The team tested how the perception of vanilla extracts, almond extracts, and lemon essential oil changed from natural environments on Earth to the confined environment of the International Space Station (ISS). The experience was simulated using virtual reality goggles.

Experiment results

The vanilla and almond scents were more intense in the simulated ISS environment, while the lemon scent remained unchanged, said study co-author Dr. Julia Lu. The team discovered that a specific sweet chemical found in vanilla and almond flavors called BenzaldehydeIt can explain the change in perceptions, as well as the individual’s sensitivity to that particular smell. “Even a greater sense of From loneliness and isolation Lu explained that this study could play a role, and there are implications from this study for how isolated people smell and taste food.

Nutrition research objectives

It is also the first study to include a sample of 54 adults, and to capture the diversity in each individual’s personal experience of smells and tastes in isolated contexts. “One of the long-term goals of the research is to achieve Foods most suitable for astronauts“People living in isolated environments should increase their food intake to nearly 100 percent,” Lu added. Other goals include completing further studies on the eating experience of astronauts in space, including the phenomenon of fluid displacement.

Liquids in space

The absence of gravity causes fluids to move from the lower to the upper parts of the body, resulting in the formation of Facial swelling Nasal congestion, which affects the sense of smell and taste. These symptoms usually start to go away within a few weeks of arriving on the space station. “Astronauts still don’t enjoy food even after the fluid displacement effects wear off, which suggests there’s more to the problem,” Lu said. Further research could help scientists improve the flight experience for astronauts in orbit, as well as in light of future missions to the moon and Mars.

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