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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Spaceflight Food System Impacts to Nutritional Adequacy, Health, Performance, and Resources in Space Exploration

Despite high physical standards and training protocols, physiological and behavioral decrements have been documented in astronauts on both short (1-2 weeks) and long (6+ month) missions in spaceflight, including dysregulation of the immune system, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning, ophthalmic changes, weight loss, and increased stress and fatigue. Optimizing food and nutrition intakes are key underpinnings for the proper function and performance of all physiological systems and the resulting physical and behavioral health and performance outcomes of astronauts. Much has been learned about the role of nutrition in human health on Earth over the past hundred years, from the identity and role of specific vitamins to the importance of the quantities of some nutrients to immune function. The requirements for providing adequate nutrition to astronauts seem obvious. However, providing a safe, reliable, and nutritious food system for space exploration missions remains a challenge. In fact, food is one of the greatest resource and logistical challenges, which is part of why it remains a “red” risk for Mars missions.

Grace L Douglas↗
NASA NTRS2021

Low-Maintenance Bioreactor Cultivates Fungi for Sustainable Food Source in Space

Nature’s Fynd, a food company headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, partnered with Montana State University on NASA STTR contracts to further develop a micro-gravity biofilm-biomat reactor, which cultivates a unique fungus to form a dense protein material. The resulting “biomat” could serve as a nutritious food source for life away from Earth. Nature’s Fynd has received external investments totaling more than $500 million for developing its technologies, and the company recently launched its meatless and dairy-free foods in specific retailers.

STTR↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

ISRU: Using Biology to Produce Food and Oxygen from Resources on Mars

Any crewed mission to Mars is a “biological” mission. As we move farther away from Earth, we will have to produce the required food, water and nutrient resources to sustain the crew in route or on the surface of other planetary bodies. Critical nutrients, like vitamins, have been shown to degrade in our current food system and represent a risk to long term crew health. One way to address this problem is by developing reliable Biological Life Support Systems (BLSS) that can provide fresh, nutrient-rich foods. Much work in this area will be done as we learn to live and work on the Moon. Systems developed for the Moon should also work on Mars, but will not be designed to take advantage of resources that Mars offers: CO2, more abundant water, and a day length similar to Earth’s. The photosynthetic portion of a BLSS can act as an ISRU element on Mars by providing human life support needs. There is an urgent need to understand how to build components of a fully functional BLSS. One Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) goal relates to this area.

B. M. Link↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Understanding the Impact of Long Duration Space Radiation on Biology and Nutrients in Food

No food or bioregenerative life support system (BLSS) is likely to be deployed on Mars prior to being fully vetted on lunar long duration missions. BLSS systems developed for lunar missions will trade well in terms of up mass and volume with prepackaged food for Mars missions, but only if they are reliable. There are significant differences in the gravitational and radiation environments between the moon and Mars, and one key challenging aspect for a BLSS on Mars missions is the extremely long durations. This results in the exposure of seeds, spores, or other dormant stages of organisms to both natural and radiation induced degradation over time frames of two or more years before they might be needed for growth. This can result in poor or no germination and sickly crops. A poorly functioning BLSS represents a threat to crew health. To ensure that a BLSS food production system will function well, we need to understand, at an early stage, the impact of these long missions on the biology. This is important to meet the Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) goals.

C. D. Quincy↗
NASA NTRS2022

A Central Asia Hydrologic Monitoring Dataset for Food and Water Security Applications in Afghanistan

From the Hindu Kush mountains to the Registan Desert, Afghanistan is a diverse landscape where droughts, floods, conflict, and economic market accessibility pose challenges for agricultural livelihoods and food security. The ability to remotely monitor environmental conditions is critical to support decision making for humanitarian assistance. The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) Land Data Assimilation System (FLDAS) global and Central Asia data streams provide information on hydrologic states for routine integrated food security analysis. While developed for a specific project, these data are publicly available and useful for other applications that require hydrologic estimates of the water and energy balance. These two data streams are unique because of their suitability for routine monitoring, as well as for being a historical record for computing relative indicators of water availability. The global stream is available at ∼ 1-month latency, and monthly average outputs are on a 10 km grid from 1982–present. The second data stream, Central Asia (21–56°N, 30–100°E), at ∼ 1 d latency, provides daily average outputs on a 1 km grid from 2000–present. This paper describes the configuration of the two FLDAS data streams, background on the software modeling framework, selected meteorological inputs and parameters, and results from previous evaluation studies. We also provide additional analysis of precipitation and snow cover over Afghanistan. We conclude with an example of how these data are used in integrated food security analysis. For use in new and innovative studies that will improve understanding of this region, these data are hosted by U.S. Geological Survey data portals and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The Central Asia data described in this paper can be accessed via the NASA repository at https://doi.org/10.5067/VQ4CD3Y9YC0R (Jacob and Slinski, 2021), and the global data described in this paper can be accessed via the NASA repository at https://doi.org/10.5067/5NHC22T9375G (McNally, 2018).

Amy McNally↗
NASA NTRS2018

Food Sanitation Device for Use in Microgravity

EDEN is a transportation/orbital habitat that carries large amounts of crew members, food, and supplies from Earth to Mars and back, but can also act as a permanent, simulated-1g-environment space station in Martian orbit. The focus of the project is to create a temporary, but long-term living environment that focuses on human health and food production. The project is composed of four major habitable parts (in addition to other major components). Moving from the center out, the first is a central core that acts as a hub that connects to the structural spokes, the main propulsion rockets and serves as a place for other spacecraft to dock onto, in addition to housing some of the basic station control, navigation and automated computer systems. The second set of parts are the spokes that connect the ring to the central core; these are the primary structural components with elevators in the middle carrying people from the ring to the core. The ‘lower’ portions, near the ring and it’s 1g environment, also act as storage centers. The third part is the 2-story outer ring This project served as an engineering senior design project at Temple University, and as part of NASA’s eXploration and Habitation (X-Hab) 2018 Academic Innovation Challenge. The goal of the project was to design, construct, and test a device which would be used in microgravity to sanitize produce. This is part of a NASA’s effort to grow and sanitize fresh produce on the International Space Station (ISS), in order to provide more nutritious meal options to the astronauts. Our team designed a 3-D printed spherical device with UV-C LEDs lining the interior. The designed device consists of an 8” spherical chamber, 10 UV-C LEDs, and a touchscreen user interface to control the device. Our design meets the project requirements by offering several features: a simple user interface, minimal crew time to operate, no waste produced, and the ability to sanitize multiple types of produce. The main reductions in Salmonella bacteria and Aspergillus Flavus mold were not verified. However, the aerobic plate count requirement was greatly exceeded and validated. Testing of the device resulted in visual results confirming significant decrease in E. coli activity with increased UV-C exposure, as well as quantitative results confirming significant reduction in CFU/g for the aerobic plate count. These reductions achieved from 1.464 x 10 7 to 2 x 10 4 CFU/g (2.86 log reduction) after 5 minutes, were significantly more than the requirements given by NASA ( of the craft, which holds all of the food production along with medical bays, a control center and a few parks. This ring also integrates the rigid keystone modules, which are the interface between the spokes, the expandable-construction portions of the ring and the habitation pods. The keystone modules also incorporate redundant, distributed ECLSS systems, medical storage, airlocks, and other integral station functions. The last parts are the habitation pods; these hold the sleeping quarters along with the bathrooms, showers, kitchen space and lounge areas. These expandable modules latch onto the keystone modules of the ring, which serves as a circulatory link between the different habitation pods.

Damien Gordon↗
NASA NTRS2015

Weaving Together Space Biology and the Human Research Program: Selecting Crops and Manipulating Plant Physiology to Produce High Quality Food for ISS Astronauts

Researchers from the Human Research Program (HRP) have teamed up with plant biologists at KSC to explore the potential for plant growth and food production on the international space station (ISS) and future exploration missions. KSC Space Biology (SB) brings a history of plant and plant-microbial interaction research for station and for future bioregenerative life support systems. JSC HRP brings expertise in Advanced Food Technology (AFT), Advanced Environmental Health (AEH), and Behavioral Health and Performance (BHP). The Veggie plant growth hardware on the ISS is the platform that first drove these interactions. As we prepared for the VEG-01 validation test of Veggie, we engaged with BHP to explore questions that could be asked of the crew that would contribute both to plant and to behavioral health research. AFT, AEH and BHP stakeholders were engaged immediately after the return of the Veggie flight samples of space-grown lettuce, and this team worked with the JSC human medical offices to gain approvals for crew consumption of the lettuce on ISS. As we progressed with Veggie testing we began performing crop selection studies for Veggie that were initiated through AFT. These studies consisted of testing and down selecting leafy greens, dwarf tomatoes, and dwarf pepper crops based on characteristics of plant growth and nutritional levels evaluated at KSC, and organoleptic quality evaluated at JSCs Sensory Analysis lab. This work has led to a successful collaborative proposal to the International Life Sciences Research Announcement for a jointly funded HRP-SB investigation of the impacts of light quality and fertilizer on salad crop productivity, nutrition, and flavor in Veggie on the ISS. With this work, and potentially with other pending joint projects, we will continue the synergistic research that will advance the space biology knowledge base, help close gaps in the human research roadmap, and enable humans to venture out to Mars and beyond.

International Space Station↗
DOE OSTI2024

Ectomycorrhizal fungi alter soil food webs and the functional potential of bacterial communities

Most of Earth’s trees rely on critical soil nutrients that ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcMF) liberate and provide, and all of Earth’s land plants associate with bacteria that help them survive in nature. Yet, our understanding of how the presence of EcMF modifies soil bacterial communities, soil food webs, and root chemistry requires direct experimental evidence to comprehend the effects that EcMF may generate in the belowground plant microbiome. To this end, we grew Pinus muricata plants in soils that were either inoculated with EcMF and native forest bacterial communities or only native bacterial communities. We then profiled the soil bacterial communities, applied metabolomics and lipidomics, and linked omics data sets to understand how the presence of EcMF modifies belowground biogeochemistry, bacterial community structure, and their functional potential. We found that the presence of EcMF (i) enriches soil bacteria linked to enhanced plant growth in nature, (ii) alters the quantity and composition of lipid and non-lipid soil metabolites, and (iii) modifies plant root chemistry toward pathogen suppression, enzymatic conservation, and reactive oxygen species scavenging. Using this multi-omic approach, we therefore show that this widespread fungal symbiosis may be a common factor for structuring soil food webs.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2026

Novel Energy-Efficient Drying Technologies for Food, Pulp and Paper, and other Energy Intensive Manufacturing Industries

The purpose of this project was to develop innovative dryer technologies for the food and pulp & paper industry sectors to reduce their corresponding drying energy by at least 25%. By working on these novel drying technologies and the aid of smart sensors and a physics-based artificial intelligence methodology, the foundation for the next generation energy efficient smart dryers for the food and pulp & paper industry sectors have been developed. The innovative dryer technologies developed are applicable to other energy intensive industries as well.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗
NASA NTRS2000

Food and nutrition in space: application to human health

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration begins the new millennium with the hope of expanding human space exploration beyond Earth's orbit. These extended-duration missions (3-5 years) require an in-depth assessment of the critical risks (referred to as "show stoppers") to humans when exposed to the remote environment and reduced gravity conditions for such long periods of time. Food, and the nutrition it provides, is paramount to crew health. For short-duration spaceflight (30 days), the nutrient requirements pertaining to physiological adaptations are likely to be satisfied without significant impact on crew performance or health. However, prolonged exposure to reduced gravity, or microgravity, and isolation may alter human nutrient requirements as well as increase the psychosocial role of food/meals in daily activities. An outline of critical questions and related research needs in the area of food and nutrition has been drafted (1) at NASA JSC with the help of the National Space Biomedical Research Institute (http://www.nsbri.org). The research areas outlined in this plan will directly impact the success of extended-duration human space missions. Findings from this research will have direct applications to human health issues faced here on Earth.

NASA Discipline Regulatory Physiology↗
NASA NTRS2019

Earth Observations and Integrative Models in Support of Food and Water Security

Global food production depends upon many factors that Earth observing satellites routinely measure about water, energy, weather, and ecosystems. Increasingly sophisticated, publicly-available satellite data products can improve efficiencies in resource management and provide earlier indication of environmental disruption. Satellite remote sensing provides a consistent, long-term record that can be used effectively to detect large-scale features over time, such as a developing drought. Accuracy and capabilities have increased along with the range of Earth observations and derived products that can support food security decisions with actionable information. This paper highlights major capabilities facilitated by satellite observations and physical models that have been developed and validated using remotely-sensed observations. Although we primarily focus on variables relevant to agriculture, we also include a brief description of the growing use of Earth observations in support of aquaculture and fisheries.

Water Resources↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Building a Framework to Model Food Security Pressures and Shocks in a Changing World

• An Intersection of Challenges for Food Security • The Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project (AgMIP) • Establishing and evaluating agricultural models • Responding to the transient signal of climate change • Understanding food systems and identifying potential for unexpected behaviors • Opportunities For a More Resilient Future

Food Security↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Nutrient Stability in NASA Spaceflight Experiment Rodent Food Bars

The nutrient-upgraded Rodent Food Bars (NuRFB) have a long history as the food of choice for NASA Space Shuttle and ISS Rodent Research missions. The NuRFB have previously been assigned an expiration date of two years after production for use in rodent flight experiments aboard the International Space Station (ISS) and three years for ground experiment use when stored between 2°-10°C. The exiguous supply of cold stowage on the ISS necessitated further investigation to determine if NuRFB can be stored at ambient temperatures (AT) without excessive nutrient degradation. The Rodent Research Project Sustaining Engineering Team at the NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, CA is responsible for management of this critical flight product.

Rodent Research↗
NASA NTRS2022

Quantifying Earth System Interactions for Sustainable Food Production Via Expert Elicitation

Several safe boundaries of critical Earth system processes have already been crossed due to human perturbations; not accounting for their interactions may further narrow the safe operating space for humanity. Using expert knowledge elicitation, we explored interactions among seven variables representing Earth system processes relevant to food production, identifying many interactions little explored in Earth system literature. We found that green water and land system change affect other Earth system processes strongly, while land, freshwater and ocean components of biosphere integrity are the most impacted by other Earth system processes, most notably blue water and biogeochemical flows. We also mapped a complex network of mechanisms mediating these interactions and created a future research prioritization scheme based on interaction strengths and existing knowledge gaps. Our study improves the understanding of Earth system interactions, with sustainability implications including improved Earth system modelling and more explicit biophysical limits for future food production.

Expert knowledge elicitation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Feeding from the sun—Successes and prospects in bioengineering photosynthesis for food security

There is an urgent need for increased crop productivity to reduce food insecurity and improve sustainability. Photosynthesis converts sunlight energy into carbohydrates, providing the source of nearly all of humanity’s food. Photosynthesis is a key target for improvement, owing to inherent inefficiencies in the biochemical process. Over the last decade of advancements in bioengineering, strategies to increase the efficiency of photosynthesis were tested with proven enhancements to crop yields in field trials. Simple strategies like increasing the content of photosynthetic proteins have reliably increased photosynthesis and productivity in crops, as have more complex strategies such as bypassing photorespiration. While insertion of carbon-concentrating mechanisms into C3 plants remains an engineering challenge, modeling suggests that achieving that would have the greatest gain for crop improvement. This review discusses the many successes in improving photosynthesis achieved over the past decade and quantifies the potential for future engineering targets to increase crop productivity.

Long, Stephen P. [University of Illinois, Urbana, ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sandwich-structured paper composite with water and oil resistance for food packaging and tableware applications

The growing environmental challenges posed by plastic waste from disposable tableware highlight the urgent need for sustainable alternatives. Traditional plastics decompose over centuries, generating microplastics that threaten ecosystems and human health. While lignin has emerged as a promising material for plastic replacement, its inherent dark brown color and processing challenges in paper-based products have limited its application, particularly in food-contact materials. Here, to address these limitations, we have developed biodegradable sandwich-structured paper composites comprising parchment paper as surface layers and a lignin-polymer core with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and polylactic acid (PLA). This innovative structure eliminates the need for binders, minimizing potential food contamination, and enables direct application as packaging or molded tableware. Lignin micro- and nano-particles (LMNP) enhances durability and provides natural water and oil resistance without harmful additives, such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), while PVA and PLA improve the composite's tenacity. The resulting material, composed of 65 wt% lignin, demonstrates excellent water and oil resistance, with no penetration exceeding 1 h, and exhibits enhanced tensile strength (45 MPa), making it a viable and eco-friendly alternative for disposable tableware.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Assessing Structural, Thermal, and Functional Characteristics of Marigold Flower Protein as a Sustainable Food Ingredient

The demand for sustainable and alternative protein sources has been on the rise, driving interest in the valorization of underutilized plants. This study evaluated Calendula officinalis (marigold), a common floral waste, as a sustainable alternative protein source for the food industry. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of protein fractions from Calendula officinalis flower to evaluate their potential as a novel protein ingredient. Extraction of the Calendula officinalis flower yielded 92.17% of the crude protein. A sequential extraction of albumin, globulin, glutelin, and prolamin from marigold flower revealed albumin as the dominant fraction (65.47%) and exhibited the highest protein functionality, including water-holding capacity (2.37 g/g), oil-holding capacity (2.49 g/g), and emulsifying capacity (65.22 mL/g). Compared with other protein fractions, glutelin showed a relatively high emulsifying and foaming capacity (EC: 59.13 mL/g; FC: 16.23%). Differential scanning calorimetry revealed high thermal stability for albumin (T p = 105.28 °C) and glutelin (T p = 97.6 °C). Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate–Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) confirmed the presence of abundant low-molecular-weight polypeptides (<37 kDa), which enhanced emulsification, while scanning electron microscopy revealed porous structures aligned with hydration properties. Antioxidant activity was higher in albumin and glutelin, linked to surface hydrophobicity. LC-MS/MS identified 33 short-chain proteins, including oxidoreductase proteins and lipid-transfer proteins. Findings highlight marigold flower proteins as a sustainable, functional ingredient for a diverse range of food applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Impact of drought on global food security by 2050

Drought is a major driver of crop production loss, threatening global food security as the population rises toward 9 billion by 2050. Using a process-based crop model within an Earth system model, we assess drought-related impacts on maize, soybean, rice, and wheat production at global and country levels. We then develop a food insecurity index combining drought impacts with socio-economic factors. Our results indicate that by 2050, globally averaged drought losses for combined maize, soybean, rice, and wheat production are <2%, though soybean losses reach 3.6%. Despite these small average changes at the global scale, 62 countries experience maximum production losses over 10%, and 24 countries over 20%. Our index identifies regions at greatest risk, including large parts of South America, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Southeast Asia. These results illustrate the need for drought adaptation to mitigate future drought impacts on crop production.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗