Salads Grown in Space May Pose a Deadly Problem
Salads Grown in Space May Pose a Deadly Problem
Salad is good for you, generally speaking, so growing fresh greens in orbit seems like a winning way for space farers to stay healthy.
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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.
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
Would they be able to do that in the space station though?
Sounds more like it’s irradiated on earth and sent up.
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).
I was gonna half heartedly suggest just opening the airlock for 20 minutes while facing the sun /s
Yes, irradiation on a space station would be very easy
Yes, but safely and properly are a different thing entirely.
No, it would be trivial
…. Than why is it only used on a few foods currently if it’s so easy and simple?
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
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…
Look at the link i added
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….
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.
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.
Chipotle: Salmonella lettuce? I don't see the problem.
They didn't charge $0.50 extra for it.
Now it's a feature not a bug. Of course they are going to charge extra for it.