A former employee of NASA and ISU professor has had a hand in making familiar foods suitable for space travel.

Lester Wilson, university professor of food science and human nutrition, was an expert in the field of space food during the summers of 2003-2006, when he worked with the food group as a part of the NASA faculty.

Wilson specifically worked with soy-based products that would be consumed during missions to Mars. Wilson said his involvement also included developing “alternative methods to ensure food safety for the grains and legumes that would be shipped. The foods should be protected from the radiation, just like the astronauts are.”

He said there are three main categories of food astronauts consume in space – freeze-dried foods, natural form foods and canned foods.

Freeze-dried foods come in vacuum-packed bags with a valve. A microwave-shaped food re-hydration station on the shuttle connects to the valve, transferring water into the pouches. Once the appropriate amount of water has been transferred, the valve closes and the food can be eaten.

Wilson said the most popular freeze-dried food while he worked with NASA was shrimp with cocktail sauce.

Natural form foods are normal foods, such as can be found at any grocery store, that can be stored at room temperature and are vacuum-packaged for missions. A popular example is M&M’s, Wilson said.

Canned foods are simply meat or vegetables heat-sealed in thin retort pouches, making the food shelf-stable. Unlike freeze-dried foods, retort pouches require no preparation – one simply tears the pouch’s strip and is ready to eat.

Other foods available are macaroni and cheese, dairy products and chili made with soy or meat.

Wilson said these foods are convenient because they are thermally stabilized, with the water already in the food.

The overall process for developing space food includes making sure the food has a five-year shelf life and conducting studies to show how nutrient levels are affected.

Developing foods that remind astronauts of their favorites from home is another matter taken into consideration, as well as the food’s sensory appeal. Because bread crumbles easily, Wilson said tortillas have become popular substitute.

Wilson said there are over 233 different space foods, but only seven to eight of these are irradiated so they have a long shelf life. He suggests anyone interested in trying space food to visit a camping store, because they often have a selection of space food, including freeze-dried ice cream.