Saed News: Astronauts undergo rigorous training before leaving Earth, especially in physical fitness, technical skills, and dietary habits. According to their specialized diet, they cannot eat bread in space. But why?
According to Saed News' Science and Technology Service, citing Khabar Online, astronauts on space missions primarily consume foods that require adding water or reheating. Their food is also stored in heat-resistant packaging, and its contents undergo special processes before being sealed.
For example, the astronauts' menu includes cooked meat, but it is ionized on Earth before packaging. As a result, fresh food items are extremely rare in space.
Astronauts typically have three meals a day—breakfast, lunch, and dinner—similar to the rations provided to military personnel during challenging missions.
Since the 1960s and the dawn of space exploration, NASA and other space agencies have banned bread in space. However, during the Gemini 3 mission in 1965, two astronauts violated this rule, resulting in bread crumbs scattering throughout the cabin. Both astronauts were promptly reprimanded.
The main reason for banning bread in spacecraft or the International Space Station (ISS) is safety. Eating bread produces crumbs that, in zero or low gravity, can pose risks such as damaging sensitive equipment or even causing fires. These crumbs can also infiltrate astronauts' measurement tools, air filters, and breathing apparatus. During routine tasks, astronauts might accidentally inhale the crumbs or have them get into their eyes.
Concerns like these have led to the exclusion of foods like chips, certain cheeses, and even salt from astronauts’ rations.
