Vol. 12, Issue 5 (2023)

Space food technology has undergone significant advancements since the early days of human spaceflight. In the past, food was often freeze-dried or irradiated to increase its shelf life and reduce its volume, but these methods resulted in poor taste and texture. Today, space food is often packaged in rehydratable pouches and can be heated up in-flight. However, current space food technology still faces challenges such as the need for long shelf life, lack of fresh ingredients, and the need to meet the nutritional needs of astronauts during long-duration missions. In the future, advancements in food production technology such as vertical farming and 3D food printing may help to improve the taste and nutritional value of space food and make it possible to grow fresh produce on-board spacecraft. Additionally, research into the psychological effects of food in space will be crucial for maintaining astronaut morale and productivity. This review focuses on the origin and history about space food and its technology, the current methods and methodology that is being used at present, and the future advancements and opportunities that lie ahead.