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Project Title:  Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2019 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
 Start Date: 03/08/2017  
End Date: 09/30/2019  
Task Last Updated: 04/16/2019 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Cooper, Maya  M.S. / Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  1300 Hercules MC:C09 
 
Houston , TX 77058 		 Email: maya.cooper@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281.483.1892  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Sirmons, Takiyah  Ph.D. Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Froio-Blumsack, Danielle  M.S. U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center 
Mohr, Lea  B.S. Ameriqual 
Douglas, Grace  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Young, Millennia  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: January 2019 report: No personnel changes during reporting period.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Norsk, Peter  
Center Contact:  
Peter.norsk@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 11349  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Ground 
Flight Program:  
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 0 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
Human Research Program Risks: None
Human Research Program Gaps: None
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: NOTE: End date changed to 9/30/2019 (previously 9/30/2024) due to PI change from Maya Cooper to Takiyah Sirmons in October 2019; project continues as "Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach (PI=Sirmons)" (Ed., 12/13/19)

Task Description: Most items of the current space food system will not achieve the minimum 5-year shelf life required for a Mars mission due to decrements in nutritional quality or sensory acceptability. Previous Advanced Food Technology (AFT) studies have shown critical losses in some nutrients in a number of space food products after 3 years of ambient storage (Cooper project, “Effects of Processing and Subsequent Storage on Nutrition (PI Cooper)”), unacceptable losses in quality after 3 years (Catauro, P.M. & Perchonok, M.H. Assessment of the long-term stability of retort pouch foods to support extended duration spaceflight. Journal of food science (2012) 77, S29-39), and the inability of individual processing and storage solutions to achieve a projected 5-year shelf life (Cooper project “Integration of Product, Package, Process, and Environment: A Food System Optimization”). This task will investigate the use of hurdle approach to increase the shelf life of the space food system. The study will produce the 5-year data essential to fully inform the state of a Mars food system and indicate the best countermeasures to nutritional and sensory degradation. Putting a 7-year data option in place initially will ensure that the PRR is not unnecessarily extended by several years if it is determined at that time that a longer-term shelf life study was necessary to determine mission requirements.

Specific Aims:

Determine how reduced storage temperatures (-80C, -20C, 4C) and alternative processing and packaging impact the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food over a 5-7 year shelf life period as compared to the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food produced under traditional methods and stored at ambient temperature (21C).

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed because it contains highly constrained research, which requires focused and constrained data gathering and analysis that is more appropriately obtained through a non-competitive proposal. The results of this study will influence vehicle design. We have established a collaboration with the Advanced Exploration Systems Logistics Reduction (AES LR) team, who will contribute their own funding to evaluate storage solutions and feasibility of designs. AES will ultimately be responsible for the food storage solution on a mission to Mars, and their location at Johnson Space Center and their collaboration at this initial point will ensure that solutions are integrated successfully in the final vehicle design. Only four storage conditions can be assessed within this experiment, due to funding limitations. The AES team participated in discussions in determining the experimental storage conditions to ensure direct applicability to potential scenarios of food storage for long duration missions. The current AES work in vehicle design, and their collaboration with Advanced Food Technology to finalize storage solutions, is the first reason that we propose that this work be accomplished through directed study.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The discovery of pathways to extend the shelf life of space food is directly transferable to the extension of shelf life of military food, emergency food rations, and commercial food items. Longer food shelf life leads to lower food waste, higher food quality in aging food samples, and an opportunity to increase variety within stored food inventory. The exploration of an alternative technology, specifically microwave-assisted thermal sterilization, provides additional data for the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) approval of this new processing technology, which drives commercial innovation in the food industry.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2019 
Task Progress: Sixteen representative foods from the International Space Station food system were chosen for production and analysis and will be evaluated initially and at 1, 3, and 5 years, with potential for analysis at 7 years if necessary. Analysis includes changes in color, texture, nutrition, sensory quality, and rehydration ratio when applicable. The food samples are stored at -20°C, 4°C, and 21°C. Select food samples will also be evaluated at -80°C to determine the impacts of ultra-cold storage after 1 and 5 years. Eight condiments were added to the study this year for quality evaluation at the same time intervals. Packaging film barrier properties and mechanical integrity was assessed before and after processing and will be assessed after storage as well. At the study conclusion, if tested hurdles are adequate, formulation, processing, and storage combinations will be uniquely identified for processed food matrices to achieve a 5-year shelf life.

Storage evaluations have begun for 12 of the 16 foods and all eight condiments. Substantial declines in vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin E, thiamin, and folic acid concentrations were noted in some foods stored at 21°C for 1 year. Both smaller declines and undetectable changes in these same nutrients occurred at lower storage temperatures. Lycopene did not show significant differences that correlated to the food storage temperature. Additional changes were noted in color, texture, and moisture content for some of the foods after ambient storage. Overall acceptability of most foods was not different after one-year of storage independent of storage temperature.

[Ed. note 12/13/2019: Project continues as "Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach (PI=Sirmons)" due to PI Cooper relocating within Human Research Program at Johnson Space Center. See that project for subsequent reporting]

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 04/23/2019) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
Abstracts for Journals and Proceedings Cooper MR, Sirmons TA, Froio-Blumsack D, Young M, Douglas GL. "Extension of Space Food Shelf Life Through Hurdle Approach." Poster presentation at the 2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop, Galveston, TX, January 22-25, 2019.

2019 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop, Galveston, TX, January 22-25, 2019. Available online: http://cdn-uploads.preciscentral.com/Download/Submissions/D7DB3F75E6939F5F/E1ECE8C166AD99E4.pdf ; accessed 4/23/19. , Jan-2019

Back to Search Results    
Project Title:  Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2018 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
 Start Date: 03/08/2017  
End Date: 09/30/2019  
Task Last Updated: 01/22/2018 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Cooper, Maya  M.S. / Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  1300 Hercules MC:C09 
 
Houston , TX 77058 		 Email: maya.cooper@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281.483.1892  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Sirmons, Takiyah  Ph.D. Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Froio-Blumsack, Danielle  M.S. U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center 
Mohr, Lea  B.S. Ameriqual 
Douglas, Grace  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Young, Millennia  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Key Personnel Changes / Previous PI: January 2018 report: No personnel changes during reporting period.
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Norsk, Peter  
Center Contact:  
Peter.norsk@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 11349  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Ground 
Flight Program:  
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs: 0 
No. of PhD Candidates: 0 
No. of Master's Candidates: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Candidates: 0  		No. of PhD Degrees: 0 
No. of Master's Degrees: 0 
No. of Bachelor's Degrees: 0 
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
Human Research Program Risks: None
Human Research Program Gaps: None
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: NOTE: End date changed to 9/30/2019 (previously 9/30/2024) due to PI change from Maya Cooper to Takiyah Sirmons in October 2019; project continues as "Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach (PI=Sirmons)" (Ed., 12/13/19)

Task Description: Most items of the current space food system will not achieve the minimum 5-year shelf life required for a Mars mission due to decrements in nutritional quality or sensory acceptability. Previous Advanced Food Technology (AFT) studies have shown critical losses in some nutrients in a number of space food products after 3 years of ambient storage (Cooper project, “Effects of Processing and Subsequent Storage on Nutrition (PI Cooper)”), unacceptable losses in quality after 3 years (Catauro, P.M. & Perchonok, M.H. Assessment of the long-term stability of retort pouch foods to support extended duration spaceflight. Journal of food science (2012) 77, S29-39), and the inability of individual processing and storage solutions to achieve a projected 5-year shelf life (Cooper project “Integration of Product, Package, Process, and Environment: A Food System Optimization”). This task will investigate the use of hurdle approach to increase the shelf life of the space food system. The study will produce the 5-year data essential to fully inform the state of a Mars food system and indicate the best countermeasures to nutritional and sensory degradation. Putting a 7-year data option in place initially will ensure that the PRR is not unnecessarily extended by several years if it is determined at that time that a longer-term shelf life study was necessary to determine mission requirements.

Specific Aims:

Determine how reduced storage temperatures (-80C, -20C, 4C) and alternative processing and packaging impact the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food over a 5-7 year shelf life period as compared to the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food produced under traditional methods and stored at ambient temperature (21C).

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed because it contains highly constrained research, which requires focused and constrained data gathering and analysis that is more appropriately obtained through a non-competitive proposal. The results of this study will influence vehicle design. We have established a collaboration with the Advanced Exploration Systems Logistics Reduction (AES LR) team, who will contribute their own funding to evaluate storage solutions and feasibility of designs. AES will ultimately be responsible for the food storage solution on a mission to Mars, and their location at Johnson Space Center and their collaboration at this initial point will ensure that solutions are integrated successfully in the final vehicle design. Only four storage conditions can be assessed within this experiment, due to funding limitations. The AES team participated in discussions in determining the experimental storage conditions to ensure direct applicability to potential scenarios of food storage for long duration missions. The current AES work in vehicle design, and their collaboration with Advanced Food Technology to finalize storage solutions, is the first reason that we propose that this work be accomplished through directed study.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits: The discovery of pathways to extend the shelf life of space food is directly transferable to the extension of shelf life of military food, emergency food rations, and commercial food items. Longer food shelf life leads to lower food waste, higher food quality in aging food samples, and an opportunity to increase variety within stored food inventory. The exploration of an alternative technology, specifically microwave-assisted thermal sterilization, provides additional data for the FDA approval of this new processing technology, which drives commercial innovation in the food industry.

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2018 
Task Progress: The initial year of the Hurdle Approach study involved several key milestones that enable future study progress as well as the initial production and shelf life initiation of several foods. Sixteen representative foods from the International Space Station (ISS) food system were chosen for production and analysis and will be evaluated initially and at 1, 3, and 5 years, with potential for analysis at 7 years if necessary. The study requires the production and storage of approximately 13,000 packages of space food. Ensuring adequate storage volume at each prescribed storage temperature was the first major milestone of the study. An indoor refrigeration unit, 20-foot walk-in refrigerator/freezer unit, and ultra-cold freezer were procured to have adequate storage volume for the study.

The second completed milestone for the project was the identification and procurement of the package for the microwave assisted thermal sterilization (MATS), processing at AmeriQual Foods. The Toppan GL-RD barrier pouch was selected for the MATS processing because of its superior oxygen and water vapor transmission barrier properties as compared to other non-metallic food pouches.

The predominant activity, however, for the study in the last year has been the preparation for and the initial production of the study foods. AmeriQual Foods contracted with Washington State University to complete D- and z-value testing of the foods undergoing MATS, where D is time required in the food, at a given temperature, for a ten-fold reduction in the number of organisms, and z is the number of degrees the temperature has to be increased to achieve a tenfold reduction in the D-value. At the Space Food Space Food Research Facility, Rice and Chicken, Italian Vegetables, and Turkey Tetrazzini processing and freeze drying were completed. Strawberry processing and freeze drying was completed at the Space Food Systems Laboratory.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 04/23/2019) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
Abstracts for Journals and Proceedings Cooper MR, Sirmons TA, Froio-Blumsack D, Mohr L, Young M, Douglas GL. "Extension of Space Food Shelf Life Through Hurdle Approach." Poster presentation at 2018 NASA HRP Investigators' Workshop, Galveston, TX, January 22-25, 2018.

2018 NASA Human Research Program Investigators’ Workshop, Galveston, TX, January 22-25, 2018. Available online at https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20170009936.pdf , Jan-2018

Back to Search Results    
Project Title:  Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach Reduce
Images: icon  Fiscal Year: FY 2017 
Division: Human Research 
Research Discipline/Element:
HRP HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
 Start Date: 03/08/2017  
End Date: 09/30/2019  
Task Last Updated: 06/16/2017 		 Download Task Book report in PDF pdf
Principal Investigator/Affiliation:   Cooper, Maya  M.S. / Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Address:  1300 Hercules MC:C09 
 
Houston , TX 77058 		 Email: maya.cooper@nasa.gov 
Phone: 281.483.1892  
Congressional District: 22 
Web:  
 Organization Type: NASA CENTER 
Organization Name: Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Joint Agency:  
Comments:  
Co-Investigator(s)
Affiliation: 
Sirmons, Takiyah  Ph.D. Leidos/NASA Johnson Space Center 
Froio-Blumsack, Danielle  M.S. U.S. Army Natick Soldier RD&E Center 
Mohr, Lea  B.S. Ameriqual 
Douglas, Grace  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Young, Millennia  Ph.D. NASA Johnson Space Center 
Project Information: Grant/Contract No. Directed Research 
Responsible Center: NASA JSC 
Grant Monitor: Norsk, Peter  
Center Contact:  
Peter.norsk@nasa.gov 
Unique ID: 11349  		Solicitation / Funding Source: Directed Research 
Grant/Contract No.: Directed Research 
Project Type: Ground 
Flight Program:  
TechPort: No  		No. of Post Docs:  
No. of PhD Candidates:  
No. of Master's Candidates:  
No. of Bachelor's Candidates:   		No. of PhD Degrees:  
No. of Master's Degrees:  
No. of Bachelor's Degrees:  
Human Research Program Elements: (1) HHC:Human Health Countermeasures
Human Research Program Risks: None
Human Research Program Gaps: None
Flight Assignment/Project Notes: NOTE: End date changed to 9/30/2019 (previously 9/30/2024) due to PI change from Maya Cooper to Takiyah Sirmons in October 2019; project continues as "Improvement of Shelf Life for Space Food Through Hurdle Approach (PI=Sirmons)" (Ed., 12/13/19)

Task Description: Most items of the current space food system will not achieve the minimum 5-year shelf life required for a Mars mission due to decrements in nutritional quality or sensory acceptability. Previous Advanced Food Technology (AFT) studies have shown critical losses in some nutrients in a number of space food products after 3 years of ambient storage (Cooper project, “Effects of Processing and Subsequent Storage on Nutrition (PI Cooper)”), unacceptable losses in quality after 3 years (Catauro, P.M. & Perchonok, M.H. Assessment of the long-term stability of retort pouch foods to support extended duration spaceflight. Journal of food science (2012) 77, S29-39), and the inability of individual processing and storage solutions to achieve a projected 5-year shelf life (Cooper project “Integration of Product, Package, Process, and Environment: A Food System Optimization”). This task will investigate the use of hurdle approach to increase the shelf life of the space food system. The study will produce the 5-year data essential to fully inform the state of a Mars food system and indicate the best countermeasures to nutritional and sensory degradation. Putting a 7-year data option in place initially will ensure that the PRR is not unnecessarily extended by several years if it is determined at that time that a longer-term shelf life study was necessary to determine mission requirements.

Specific Aims:

Determine how reduced storage temperatures (-80C, -20C, 4C) and alternative processing and packaging impact the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food over a 5-7 year shelf life period as compared to the quality and nutrient concentrations of space food produced under traditional methods and stored at ambient temperature (21C).

Rationale for HRP Directed Research: This research is directed because it contains highly constrained research, which requires focused and constrained data gathering and analysis that is more appropriately obtained through a non-competitive proposal. The results of this study will influence vehicle design. We have established a collaboration with the Advanced Exploration Systems Logistics Reduction (AES LR) team, who will contribute their own funding to evaluate storage solutions and feasibility of designs. AES will ultimately be responsible for the food storage solution on a mission to Mars, and their location at Johnson Space Center and their collaboration at this initial point will ensure that solutions are integrated successfully in the final vehicle design. Only four storage conditions can be assessed within this experiment, due to funding limitations. The AES team participated in discussions in determining the experimental storage conditions to ensure direct applicability to potential scenarios of food storage for long duration missions. The current AES work in vehicle design, and their collaboration with Advanced Food Technology to finalize storage solutions, is the first reason that we propose that this work be accomplished through directed study.

Research Impact/Earth Benefits:

Task Progress & Bibliography Information FY2017 
Task Progress: New project for FY2017.

Bibliography: Description: (Last Updated: 04/23/2019) 

Show Cumulative Bibliography
 
 None in FY 2017
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