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- Omelette in the porthole: yoghurts and eggs will help the ISS crew to adapt to the station
Omelette in the porthole: yoghurts and eggs will help the ISS crew to adapt to the station
Russian food developers for astronauts have sent a line of yogurts to the ISS for the first time. Five varieties of omelets have also recently been added to the orbital diet. This was the result of the hard work of specialists, as eggs are difficult to preserve for a long time. Fermented dairy products should help the astronaut adapt in the first weeks of the flight. According to the compilers of the space menu, food should not only provide the ISS crew with energy and necessary substances, but also help them cope with stress. In some cases, astronauts can order the most common products from the supermarket, and the most popular dish on the station is considered to be Russian cottage cheese with nuts.
Yogurts and omelets
Specialists from the Federal Research Center for Nutrition, Biotechnology and Food Safety have developed and for the first time transferred to the ISS a new line of freeze-dried yoghurts for the nutrition of astronauts, the creators of products for space told Izvestia.
— Our factory has developed technical specifications and produced the first batch of freeze-dried yoghurts. There were already dairy products, but there were not enough fermented milk products. We have created a full—fledged product line and have already sent it to the station," said Mikhail Irinev, director of the Biryulyovo Experimental Plant, a branch of the FITZ of Nutrition and Biotechnology.
Mikhail Irinev, Director of the Biryulyovo Experimental Plant of the FITZ Nutrition and Biotechnology branch
He specified that in the near future, astronauts will begin to try the novelty as part of an additional set of meals. According to him, the products are manufactured using advanced technology, and their sublimation is fully performed at the enterprise for the first time.
The development of new types of orbital food takes a lot of time, as they need to be tested for the entire shelf life, which reaches 30 months or more.
— Our goal and task is to please the astronauts so that they have a decent assortment, so that they do not feel any changes in the organization of nutrition, both on Earth and in space. For example, we recently created a line of egg—based omelets, which received good marks at the Cosmonaut Training Center, Mikhail Irinev.
Eggs have a high nutritional value, so it is important to include dishes from them in the crew's diet. However, such products are technically difficult to freeze — first they are frozen and then dried to preserve their taste and beneficial properties. It is in this form that they are sent into space.
The new line of omelets includes five varieties. To cook a dish in orbit, it is enough to add water — after 10-15 minutes it can be consumed. There are 16-day rations on the ISS. During this time, the dishes should not be repeated. There are also holiday sets for special occasions.
Any new food is tested at the Cosmonaut Training Center, which evaluates the dishes and makes recommendations. Russian crew members often exchange products with their foreign colleagues on the ISS.
"Our cottage cheese with nuts has become a real international currency there,— Mikhail Irinev said.
Psychological Support Products
Ekaterina Burlyaeva, head of the Healthy Sports Nutrition Advisory and Diagnostic Center at the Federal Research Center for Nutrition and Biotechnology, told Izvestia about the benefits of yogurt for astronauts.
— Being in a confined space has a negative effect on the operation of the gastrointestinal tractor. In antigravity, functional changes occur, and the microbiota is disrupted," she explained. — In the first two weeks, a person actively undergoes stress adaptation. It is logical to add lactic acid products and bacteria that could serve as prevention.
Yoghurts are also an additional source of calcium. Due to the lack of gravity, the risk of a decrease in bone density increases, therefore, in addition to proper nutrition, astronauts regularly exercise on simulators - this helps prevent muscle atrophy and maintain bone strength.
— When a person is stressed, they want sweet, salty, smoked, fried food. Everything that has a rich taste. This way our brain receives a signal much faster that we have eaten. And the same thing happens in space. — Ekaterina Burlyaeva told. — It's hard for an astronaut in an enclosed space. Taste preferences change, and the food gets boring and bland. But this is also provided by the diet, and confectionery is also included in it. It can be dried fruits, it can be a sweet curd, like a curd mass.
The cosmonauts' standard menu includes soups, meat, porridges, and fish. There are also so-called psychological support products. An astronaut may ask to be given something familiar from Earth. This is industrial food, the same as in a regular store. After certain verification steps, it is sent into orbit.
Ekaterina Burlyaeva, a doctor at the Biryulyovo Experimental Plant, branch of the FITZ of Nutrition and Biotechnology
The daily calorie content of the diet varies depending on the load, for example, during a spacewalk. Crew members also have the opportunity to drink tea and coffee — usually one or two servings of drinks per day.
According to nutritionist Nuria Dianova, the healthiest varieties of yogurt are Greek and matzoni. They contain Bulgarian E. coli and thermophilic streptococcus, important microorganisms for humans.
— Bacteria can have a good effect even on the nervous system. Now experts are carefully studying the gut–brain axis," the nutritionist explained. — Studies show that certain long-term course methods of different strains of probiotics give good results. Since these are not stimulating chemicals, they do not have any harmful side effects, and they will have a positive effect on astronauts.
Of all the possible egg dishes, omelet is the most useful for protein absorption. It is much healthier than its counterparts in cottage cheese, fish and beef, so adding this dish to the cosmonauts' menu is quite justified, the specialist emphasized.
Space Week is taking place in Russia from April 6 to 12, 2026.
The development of new food products for astronauts is carried out within the framework of the Decade of Science and Technology.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
