Washington State University scientists have developed a way to triple the shelf life of ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese, a development that could have benefits for everything from space travel to military use. If human beings go to Mars, they need food. Food that won’t spoil during the long travel between planets, and while they’re on the surface.
Currently, plastic packaging can keep food safe at room temperature for up to 12 months. The WSU researchers demonstrated they could keep ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese safe and edible with selected nutrients for up to 3 years. “We need a better barrier to keep oxygen away from the food and provide longer shelf-life similar to aluminum foil and plastic laminate pouches,” said the research team in WSU Insider (Sept. 24, 2019). “We’ve always been thinking of developing a product that can go to Mars, but with technology that can also benefit consumers here on Earth.”
In addition to having space travel in mind, the researchers are working closely with the U.S. Army, who want to improve their “Meals Ready to Eat” (MREs) to stay tasty and healthy for 3 years. In taste panels conducted by the Army, the mac and cheese, recently tested after 3 years of storage, was deemed just as good as the previous version that was stored for 9 months. NASA will require storage of up to 5 years for food, so that’s what the team is working on now. They are currently aging other recipes that will be taste tested once they reach the 5-year mark. When humans are involved and they travel over great distances spanning long periods of time, the supply and transport of fresh nourishment can present a significant challenge.
The food itself is sterilized using a process called the microwave-assisted thermal sterilization (MATS) system. Adding a metal oxide coating to a layer of the plastic film significantly increases the amount of time it takes for oxygen and other gases to break through.
Classroom discussion questions:
- What other OM applications could benefit from such technologies?
- What additional logistics challenges will need to be solved before humans can embark on a trip to Mars?