Food for the final frontier: micro-encapsulation of essential nutrients to enable long-duration space exploration

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The current food system used by astronauts is not compatible with long-duration exploration missions such as a 5-7 year mission to Mars. A major element of this problem is that lipids are prone to degradation processes that produce off flavors and odors (rancidity) and eventually render the food unsafe to eat. In addition, many essential nutrients (that cannot be manufactured by the human body) such as omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, and vitamins A, E, and K are destroyed. One way to protect these essential nutrients is through the use of encapsulation to embed the nutrients in another, more inert, material that acts as a barrier. These encapsulated materials are often formed as a dried powder, which increases the shelf life and makes them easily incorporated into powdered beverages or sauce mixes. However, the barrier materials can reduce the ability of our bodies to adsorb the nutrients. In this research we will develop novel encapsulation methods, using natural ingredients, to provide multi-year shelf-life while also maintaining a high degree of digestibility.