What is food in space like?

Most food taken to space is freeze-dried to reduce weight and last longer, but scientists are now working on lab-grown food as a more sustainable option. The European Space Agency is investigating whether food grown from animal or plant cells could be used in space.

Lab-grown food is made without traditional farming or growing methods. Plant or animal cells are grown and multiplied in a lab to create the food. This method, already used for products like lab-grown chicken in the U.S. and even pet food in the U.K. At Imperial College London’s Bezos Centre, researchers are developing lab-made proteins, fats, and carbohydrates to recreate familiar foods.

The high cost of sending food to space, which is up to £20,000 per astronaut each day, is a huge problem. agencies plan for long-term space missions.