July 25, 2024
Enhanced Scents Might Solve Space Appetite Issues
Food in space often tastes bland, making it difficult for astronauts to consume enough nutrients to stay healthy. However, a new study suggests that focusing on the sense of smell could help make space food more appealing.
Aroma significantly influences the flavor of food, and researchers have discovered that certain scents may become more potent in the confined environment of a spacecraft. The study found that vanilla and almond aromas intensified when participants used virtual reality (VR) goggles simulating the International Space Station (ISS) setting. In contrast, a lemon scent was perceived as usual.
These findings suggest that the isolation and confinement of space travel might affect astronauts' appetites. "The VR experiment simulates the experience of being on the space station, changing how you smell and taste things," said Gail Iles, an associate professor at RMIT University in Australia.
Despite well-planned diet regimens, astronauts often do not eat enough during their missions. As space missions like NASA's Artemis program plan for longer durations, understanding dietary issues and how astronauts interact with their food becomes crucial. "We need to understand these problems, especially for missions to Mars," Iles added in a university news release.
Previously, astronauts' decreased appetite was attributed to weightlessness, which causes fluid shifts to the upper body, leading to facial swelling and nasal congestion. These symptoms, which impact taste and smell, usually diminish after a few weeks in space, yet astronauts continue to report a lack of enjoyment in their food, indicating other factors at play. "There's something more to this," said lead researcher Julia Low, a senior lecturer at RMIT.
For the study, 54 adults wore VR goggles simulating the ISS environment and were exposed to various food odors. Researchers noted that a sweet chemical called benzaldehyde, found in vanilla and almond aromas, might explain the heightened scent perception in the space simulation. "We believe that this sweet aroma intensifies within the VR setting," said Jayani Chandrapala, an associate professor at RMIT.
The study's findings, published in the International Journal of Food Science and Technology, could help create more appealing food for astronauts. "One of the long-term goals is to develop better-tailored foods for astronauts and others in isolated environments to increase their nutritional intake," Low stated.
Additionally, these results could benefit people on Earth who have difficulty eating enough. "This study could help personalize diets in socially isolated situations, such as nursing homes, improving their nutritional intake," Low concluded.