Produced by: Tarun Mishra
Credit: NASA
Scientists from RMIT University have conducted the first study on common food aromas to understand why astronauts report bland-tasting meals in space.
The study, published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology, explores how the taste perception of food changes in space.
Credit: NASA
Grace Loke, a PhD candidate at RMIT, highlighted that astronauts often find food tastes different in space compared to Earth, leading to dissatisfaction with pre-planned meals.
Credit: NASA
The research aims to improve diets for isolated individuals, such as astronauts and nursing home residents, by personalizing food aromas to enhance flavour.
Researchers studied the perception of vanilla and almond extracts, and lemon essential oil, comparing their intensity in Earth settings to conditions on the International Space Station (ISS).
Lead researcher Dr. Julia Low reported that vanilla and almond aromas were more intense in the ISS-simulated environment, while the lemon scent remained unchanged.
The chemical benzaldehyde, present in vanilla and almond aromas, may explain the change in perception, along with individual sensitivity to specific smells.
Credit: NASA
The study suggests that loneliness and isolation might affect how isolated people smell and taste food, influencing their overall dining experience.
The research also considered the fluid shift phenomenon in weightlessness, which causes facial swelling and nasal congestion, impacting taste and smell. Despite these effects subsiding after a few weeks, astronauts still report unsatisfactory food experiences, indicating additional factors at play.