• Ratnadeep Roy
• Dr. Nagamaniammai Govindarajan
• Dr. Debabrata Bera

International Space Station (ISS) environment and microgravity alter the sensory perceptions greatly and unprecedented radiation damage to the food has led to the negligence of consumption. Thus undernutrition has accounted for about a 20% deficit in daily calorie intake for an astronaut. To provide sustainable energy for them a freeze-dried plant-based noodle is developed to bear the calorific values obeying RDI and joint FAO/WHO standards mandated for astronauts. To meet the countermeasures of the microgravity, the noodle is freeze-dried intending for long-term shelf stability. The noodle is providing up to 50.569 g of protein, 123.612 g of carbohydrate, and 15.748 g of fat from a single serving unit of 284.5 g packet of sample 3 (frozen at -40℃ and dried for 6 hrs) formulated abiding USDA nutritive values which are within the range prescribed by RDI. There is no concomitant loss in protein due to the absence of heat in freeze-drying which also leaves complex polysaccharides and lipids of interest intact. ISS does not have a refrigerator to accommodate enough food. Thus freeze-drying at subatmospheric pressure and below eutectic temperature has led the noodle to weigh lighter up to 284.5 g from 369 gm of concoction for storage constraints up in ISS. Besides the antioxidant, polyphenol and flavonoid contents in sample 3 are found to be 76.44±0.05%, 97.80±0.04 mg GAE/g, and 79.44±0.04 mg QE/g which is pretty higher than the other two samples dried for 4 and 5 hrs separately. This proves that freeze-drying also protects the viability of thermo-labile bioactive compounds in concentrated form which could provide healthy physiology and psychosocial regulation detaining detrimental symptoms. The W.H.C and O.H.C for sample 3 are at least about 1.61±0.05 g/g and 1.05±0.01 g/g respectively with a moisture content of 0.02±0.01 g/g. The results are quite lesser than the other two less dried ones. The S.C of sample 3 is 5.17±0.04 g/g. This signifies that extended drying time can also sublime the unfrozen water remaining within fibre matrices hence checking the microbial spoilage. Freeze-drying recovers the food matrices, texture, and tissue morphology for mouthfeels inferred from the sensory analysis. The noodle is reconstitutable within 10 mins at 80℃ in the LDPE bag. Freeze-drying also reduces shrinkage, cracks, and case hardening of the noodle to give better acceptability. It is providing approximately 838.456 kcal packet storage at 60-85℉(18-26.7℃) in the safe haven section of MPLM.

International Space Station, Freeze-drying, calorie, sublimation, noodle.

"Development and process optimization of freeze dried reconstitutable noodle for astronauts", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 8, page no.b266-b280, August-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2208136.pdf

"Development and process optimization of freeze dried reconstitutable noodle for astronauts", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 8, page no. ppb266-b280, August-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2208136.pdf