Transcript Food Science: Assessing space consumables and inherent

International Space Station
2010 Utilization, 2015 Evolution & 2020 Life Extension
USC
Improving
Consumption
Regimen for the
ISS
Andron Creary
ASTE 527
December 15, 2009
Background - History of Space
Foods
USC
• Mercury: compressed
and dehydrated bite-sized
cubes, freeze-dried powders,
and semi-liquids stuffed in
aluminum tubes.
(Shown: mushroom, soup, beverage,
pineapple juice, chicken pears, strawberries,
beef and vegetables, etc.)
*(Figure 1 & Figure 2: courtesy of NASA, retrieved Nov. 8th, 2009)
Background - History of Space
Foods
USC
• Gemini: bite-sized cubes
•
were coated with gelatin to reduce
crumbling, and the freeze-dried
foods were encased in a special
plastic containers to improve
packaging, hence improving
overall food quality, flavor,
moisture content, and spoilage.
Improved menu to include:
grapes, beef stew, turkey, rice
with chicken, chocolate cubes,
etc.
• More variety and
improved packaging!!
*(Figure 3: courtesy of NASA, retrieved Nov. 8th, 2009)
(Shown: wrapped in cellophane, an airtight
and waterproof sealant used to wrap
everyday poultry products)
Background - History of Space
Foods
USC
• Apollo: new packaging method, wet-pack or thermostabilized flexible
•
pouch which retained water content. Astronauts could see and smell what
they were eating as well as eat with a spoon for the first time in space.
Menu included: coffee, bacon squares, cornflakes, scrambled eggs, cheese
crackers, beef sandwich, chocolate pudding, tuna salad, peanut butter, etc.
• More variety and improved packaging!!
*(Figure 4 & Figure 5: courtesy of NASA, retrieved Nov. 8th, 2009)
Background - History of Space
Foods
USC
• Skylab: the Skylab
laboratory had a freezer,
refrigerator, warming trays, and a
table, just like at home.
– Compartmentalized food
tray!!
• Space Shuttle: Food
variety expanded to 74 different
kinds of food and 20 kinds of
beverages.
– Personalize menu based
on own needs and
wants!!
– Velcro
*(Figure 6: courtesy of NASA, retrieved Nov. 8th, 2009)
Background - History of Space
Foods
USC
• ISS: primarily, most foods are frozen, refrigerated, or thermostabilized
•
and will not require the addition of water before consumption. Station crews
have more than 250 food and beverage items they can select from the U.S.
and Russian food systems.
Foil and plastic laminate to provide for a longer product shelf life
• More variety and improved packaging!!
*(Figure 7 & Figure 8: courtesy of NASA, retrieved Nov. 8th, 2009)
Defining the problem – Why does
this matter?
USC
• Rationale: defining optimal nutrient requirements is critical for
ensuring overall crew health, particularly during long-duration missions.
With the need to establish domicile on the ISS growing, having a more
clear understanding of the crew’s consumption regimen will help to identify
whether their is a lacking or an excessive consumption of any particular
nutrient as a result of individual choice of food(s). Dietary intake during
space flights have not been consistent, rather being extremely low or
extremely high, which can greatly compromise nutritional status. For the
purpose of maintaining the same body mass in orbit as on Earth, astronauts
are told to EAT, EAT, EAT!! Those with more aggressive consumption
patterns, recover more easily and rapidly than those with a more
conservative diet, however, without limitations, this could lead to other
health implications.
Defining the problem – Why does
this matter?
USC
• Policy: the inherent nature of the ISS bolsters diversity and is a symbol
of the great feats that can be accomplished through teamwork, synergy and
international freedom. Because the ISS is comprised of multiple
international partners, with Russia being the second largest provider of
sustenance, attention should be given to addressing diversification of food
based on cultural differences. Understanding such differences can provide
leverage in developing a revised consumption regimen.
• Objective: the intent of this proposal is to provide suggestions for
redefining the daily nutrient intake by establishing positive constraints to
reduce cases were excessive consumption of any particular nutrient could
occur of which could contribute to various health ailments.
Measurement Analysis – Can this
be proven?
USC
• Energy Intake:
•
•
ISS Expedition 1 - 4: 70.8 +/- 10.8%
ISS Expedition 5 -12: 75.6 ± 11.4%
–
•
Energy intake among U.S. ISS crew members
has been increasing in recent years
The reason for concern about chronic
inadequate energy intake is that weight
loss could occur over an extended
period, along with possible accelerated
muscle and bone loss.
–
–
Graph indicates a decrease in energy intake,
hence body weight was significantly lower after
4- 6 months of spaceflight than before flight
What’s the countermeasure: EAT EAT EAT!!
• While this approach seems plausible, as
the data show an increase in the energy
intake over the years, self induced health
conditions are overlooked.
Measurement Analysis – Can this
be proven?
USC
• Two sides to the coin:
– While maintaining body weight is
integral to overall health, it is highly
dependent on overall energy intake
i.e. caloric intake
– Energy intake is correlated with intake
of other nutrients, and thus if
insufficient energy is consumed, then
other nutrients are at risk of
insufficiency or the polar opposite
(excessive energy intake = excessive
nutrient intake)
– Hence, allowing astronauts to EAT,
EAT, EAT as a countermeasure to
weight loss, implies that they will
consume more of any one type of
nutrient than another
Measurement Analysis – Can this
be proven?
USC
•
•
•
Comparative data from past missions with emphasis
given to particular nutrient consumption, indicate
similar trend in consumption of subject nutrients.
– Increased risk of muscle atrophy and bone loss
due to excretion of calcium
– Increased risk of cardaic arrhythmia due to low
potassium content
– Increased risk of exposure to ammonia due to
high nitrogen content that is broken down by
bacteria in kidney, this results from excessive
protein consumption
Electrocardiograms (ECGs) from astronauts on
short-duration (space shuttle) and long-duration
(ISS and Mir) missions indicated that long-duration,
not short-duration, space flight was associated with
increased susceptibility of cardiac arrhythmia based
on heart-rate-corrected objective test (QTC)
Generally speaking, grave fluctuation in nutrient
consumption is systemic in nature!
New Concept – How can we
improve?
USC
Scientists use require detailed information to
understand the connections between nutrition and
human health during space flight, and to develop
effective Dietary strategies to reduce adverse health
impacts.
• Two approaches:
– Revise overall menu - through
compartmentalization and establishing constraints
on number of nutrients, focusing more on ideal body
weight rather than generalizing requirements
• Streamline requirements with each individuals body
morphometry, i.e. shape, size
– Sodium
– Calcium
– Potassium
– Protein
– Body type must be system driver!
New Concept – How can we
improve?
USC
– Replace fat in most food products with a fat substitute - Nutrigras;
A stable emulsion of 9% vegetable oil and 62% water formed by steam
jet cooking, presented in liquid, gel, or dry form. When constituted, it
looks and tastes just like real fat, but it is significantly healthier! direct,
pound-for-pound replacement of fat, and since it is only 9% fat, it is
possible to produce products that have 90% less fat than their full-fat
counterparts. It contains 80% fewer calories per gram than fat.
• Ex. (1) Ice-cream, beef, pork, chicken, salad dressings, soup sauces can all be
replaced with Nutrigras to lower fat content.
• Nutrigras enhanced products, particularly beef, chicken items reduced in size by
approx. 10%. Additional benefit in reducing storage space.
• Reduced overall cost pre-processing of food products.
• On average, 45% of caloric intake comes from fat, hence substituting Nutrigras will
lower caloric intake, however, providing more healthy diet.
Astronaut Regimen Monitoring –
Implement control mechanisms
USC
•
•
•
•
•
FFQ - continue to utilize food frequency
questionnaire to gather estimates of
nutrient intake
Metabolomics - high resolution mass
spectroscopy to allow for real time
analysis of nutritional regimen through
evaluation of waste (sweat, breath, urine
feces)
Telemedicine - utilize capabilities offered
through ground/in-flight communication to
diagnose issues
Clinical Ultrasound - small reference
cards containing layout coding for
equipment controls to facilitate probe
placement teams are able to perform
functions similar to Earthly counter parts
QTC - continued use for real time heartrate-monitoring
Future Studies
USC
•
•
•
•
•
Further product testing on Nutrigras with respect to uses in other meat
products
Understanding stomach microbes and their ability to break down nutrients in
foods. Such microbes vary within each individual; through bioengineering,
particular microbes that are more efficient at breaking down certain foods
could be applied intravenously to those astronauts that lack these microbes
naturally.
Continued studies into vitamin D constitution. The microgravity environment
continues to limit the body’s ability to effectively process this particular
vitamin
Because storage capacity is limited, garbage disposal becomes a concern.
Future studies investigating the use of gasification processes of converting
waste to usable energy could lead to further advancements in the area of
disposal. Energy could possibly be used to provide various types of energy
to power various devices
Use of biodegradable and edible film used for packing items with limited
fatty count, currently under evaluation; preliminary test show meat products
Future Studies
USC
•
•
the best test specimens, yielding best result in preserving product
Need to research traditional medicine to institute complementary
procedures. Prevention is better than cure
Biodegradable packing material for freshly ISS cultivated vegetables to
accommodate lost calcium from urinary excretion during initial space-entry