Salads Grown in Space May Pose a Deadly Problem (www.sciencealert.com)

submitted 8 months ago by threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works to c/space@lemmy.world

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[-] ccryx@discuss.tchncs.de 51 points 8 months ago

TL;DR:

The problem is growing leafy plants like lettuce and spinach in space can come with a side dish of bacteria, according to a new study from a team at the University of Delaware. In tests on plants grown in simulated microgravity, they were shown to actually be more susceptible than normal to the Salmonella enterica pathogen.

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 21 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Sounds like not a big problem at all. Seems like they'll just have to use appropriate cleaning methods. Even in the worst case scenario they would probably just have to use food irradiation.

https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-irradiation-what-you-need-know

EDIT

In fact reading my own link i learned that they ALREADY irradiate food that astronauts eat

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Would they be able to do that in the space station though?

Sounds more like it’s irradiated on earth and sent up.

[-] BearOfaTime@lemm.ee 18 points 8 months ago

Just have a window with no radiation shielding in the glass. 😁

(Jokes aside, I think irradiating food uses radiation specifically in the gamma range, but it's been a long time since I've read up on it).

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 10 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

I was gonna half heartedly suggest just opening the airlock for 20 minutes while facing the sun /s

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 4 points 8 months ago

Yes, irradiation on a space station would be very easy

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 6 points 8 months ago

Yes, but safely and properly are a different thing entirely.

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 1 points 8 months ago

No, it would be trivial

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

…. Than why is it only used on a few foods currently if it’s so easy and simple?

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Because the general population is dumb and when they hear the word radiation they get freaked out and want nothing to do with it

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/food-irradiation

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Nah, you’re just talking out of your ass, look at the size of equipment and the regulations that go into irradiating food and you would see why it’s not feasible in/on the space station.

Also, looks at the list of acceptable foods that can be irradiated for astronauts, ifs also different than what the public has access too.

I’m pointing out it’s far more involved than you think.

Because the general population is dumb

Yes they are if they think it’s that simple to irradiate food properly and safely in the space station and it’s “trivial”. If it was, it would be being done already…

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago

Look at the link i added

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

What does that prove about irradiating in the space station? Have you seen the regulations and equipment that go into it? I really don’t even know what you think that’s proving in this exchange.

If it was simple and trivial, why are they not doing it on the space station? Because it’s not simple… it’s not easy… and it’s just not feasible….

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

The link shows you that it can be done on any food, and that the only reason why it hasn't be accepted by the public is because of fear about the word.

To your additional objections, do a an image search of the machines and you'll see that the non-miniaturized versions that are made for industrial scale mass production products are like 4x4x2 feet for the actual functional machine part of it

But hey, believe whatever you wanna believe

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

It can be done on any food, but look at NASAs list for what is acceptable…. Different agencies are involved with different standards.

Just because it’s easy on earth doesn’t correlate to space… this exchange even started in a post of a an article about this exact thing….

You are right people are dumb yeesh.

Edit, read your own links….

At present, human spaceflight is confined to low Earth orbit but, in future, will again go to the Moon and, beyond, to Mars. The provision of food during these extended missions will need to meet the special nutritional and psychosocial needs of the crew. Terrestrially grown and processed food products, currently provided for consumption by astronauts/cosmonauts, have not yet been systematically optimised to maintain their nutritional integrity and reach the shelf-life necessary for extended space voyages. Notably, space food provisions for Mars exploration will be subject to extended exposure to galactic cosmic radiation and solar particle events, the impact of which is not fully understood. In this review, we provide a summary of the existing knowledge about current space food products, the impact of radiation and storage on food composition, the identification of radiolytic biomarkers and identify gaps in our knowledge that are specific in relation to the effect of the cosmic radiation on food in space.

[-] LanternEverywhere@kbin.social 0 points 8 months ago

That quote doesn't say what you seem to think it says. Anyway, I'm done with this fruitless conversation now. See ya around

[-] SchmidtGenetics@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago

It shows the challenges and the unknowns of doing it in space….

It’s to show you it’s not as simple as you are making it out to be…. But of course you’re not going to comprehend that as you’ve already established how stupid some people are.

[-] agressivelyPassive@feddit.de 8 points 8 months ago

Isn't biofilm a problem in general? From what I've heard, Mir was covered in grime at the end and the ISS isn't looking much better now.

[-] dustyData@lemmy.world 1 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

The ISS has a very strict cleaning regime. Essentially every work minute not spent on research or maintenance is for cleaning. I think to remember that they even have one day a week when all they do is clean.