Canned mackerel certified as space food

NHK -- Nov 13

Canned mackerel developed by high school students in central Japan has been officially certified as space food by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, or JAXA.

Wakasa Senior High School in Fukui Prefecture has been studying the development of space food for 12 years. JAXA recently added the canned mackerel to its list of 33 items of Japanese space food.

A ceremony was held at the school on Monday to commemorate the certification.

After a representative of the students received a certificate from a JAXA official, Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata gave a talk.

Wakata said communicating with each other is important on the International Space Station, and that eating is one factor. He also said he is looking forward to seeing the canned mackerel travel to space in the future.

The students say locally cultivated fish is heavily seasoned to make up for astronauts' diminished sense of taste. They also made the canned dish sticky with kudzu starch to prevent liquid from floating away.

JAXA officials say the new space food may possibly be delivered to the space station as early as next year.

It is the first time that a food item developed by high school students has been certified by JAXA as space food.

Nov 13 (ANNnewsCH) - 福井県立若狭高校の生徒が作った『サバ醤油味付け缶詰』が、国際宇宙ステーションで食べる『宇宙日本食』に決定した。無重力空間では、味覚が鈍くなるため濃い味にしたり、液体が飛び散らないように葛粉で粘り気を出すなど試行錯誤を繰り返して厳しい試験をクリア。JAXA=宇宙航空研究開発機構が選ぶ『宇宙日本食』の33品目に採用された。JAXA理事で宇宙飛行士の若田光一さん(55)は高校を訪れ、生徒たちに認定証を手渡した。