400 kilometers from the earth’s surface, a spoonful of mischovy has crossed the extreme environment of the International Space Station (ISS)transforming itself into a unique condiment, the result of a “Space terroir”. In a recent experiment, a team of researchers has announced that it has successfully fermented Miso in space: a traditional Japanese pasta based on soy and salt, with centuries -old origins, which has experienced a complete microbial maturation in orbit.
The experiment took place in March 2020, when a not yet fermented miso container was sent to the ISS to remain there for 30 days. After the mission, the sample was reported on Earth to be analyzed and compared with two control lots left on the ground, one in Cambridge (Massachusetts) and one in Copenhagen (Denmark).
The result? The fermented miso in space had The same aroma and consistency of that produced on earthbut with a taste slightly more toasted and hazel. This unexpected sensory profile hypothesized the birth of a new type of “terroir”: that of space, where factors such as microgravity, cosmic radiation and even the microbial flora of the closed environment of ISS can influence fermentative processes.
Microbes and microgravities
The heart of the experiment was to understand how the spatial environment affects the microorganisms involved in fermentation. According to Joshua D. Evans, co-author of the study at the Technical University of Denmark, the conditions in low earth orbit-such as microgravity and greater exposure to radiation-alter the way the microbes grow, behave and interact.
To monitor these changes, the container with the miso was accompanied by environmental sensors capable of detecting temperature, humidity, pressure and radiation. Upon returning to Earth, Miso was subjected to an in -depth analysis that included:
The analyzes confirmed not only the success of the fermentative process, but also the emergence of a unique “microbial signature”: A real imprint of the space terroir.
According to Maggie Coblent of Mit, co-author of the study, “fermentation in space demonstrates how a microbial ecosystem can thrive even outside our planet, raising interesting bioethic issues on the presence and evolution of microbial life in space”.
Ferment in space
It is not the first time that fermented foods travel in space: in the past Kimchi and wine have been brought, but always already fermented and “stabilized” before launch. This time, however, the goal was to ferment directly in orbit, with all the unknowns and potential of the case.
According to the authors, this approach opens new roads not only from a nutritional point of view, but also cultural. “One day, we could see spatial cuisine evolving as a new culinary expression, rich and diversified, representative of human cultures even beyond the terrestrial atmosphere,” said Evans.
In long -lasting space missions, such as those towards the moon or Mars, nutrition, mental health and emotional well -being are closely linked. Astronauts could benefit from fermented foods not only for the nutritional value and the health of the intestine, but also for the psychological comfort that these foods evoke.
The food, after all, It is not just nourishment. It is memory, identity, link with the earth. For an astronaut, a family dish can represent a moment of relief, a link with lost everyday life.
The authors of the study, published in the magazine IRCHIENCEthey also underline how fermented foods can contribute to prevent “sensory boredom” Which can arise with standardized diets on board, thus improving the mood and cognitive performance of astronauts.
This seemingly simple experimentation could therefore mark the beginning of a new era for space nutrition: more human, tastier, more representative of terrestrial cultures.
