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\t\t\t\t\t\t14\/02\/2025<\/span> In a first for space cuisine, ESA project astronaut S\u0142awosz\u00a0Uzna\u0144ski-Wi\u015bniewski will bring pierogi, the traditional Polish dumplings, to the International Space Station during the upcoming Axiom Mission 4.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n S\u0142awosz is bringing a taste of home to space with a special menu created together with a celebrity chef and a family-owned company in Poland. The food selection includes pierogi stuffed with cabbage and mushrooms, tomato soup with noodles, Polish \u201cleczo\u201d stew with buckwheat, and apple crumble for dessert.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Any food delivered to the International Space Station must be crumb-free, lightweight and keep for at least 24 months.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Most of the space menu consists of canned or freeze-dried meals in plastic packages. Fresh fruits and vegetables are a luxury, only available when a spacecraft arrives with new supplies.<\/p>\n Bonus food catered for specific crew members makes up around 10 percent of their menu. Astronauts say this bonus food adds variety to their dishes, boosts their mental wellbeing and helps them bond with the crew in orbit.<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted a truly Polish menu that I could share with my fellow astronauts. Food brings psychological comfort, and I instantly thought it would be worth taking some Polish delicacies into orbit,\u201d says S\u0142awosz.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Pierogi have been part of Polish cuisine since the 13th century. These dumplings remain a staple of Polish home cooking and an essential part of Christmas Eve celebrations.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen I heard about the possibility of choosing my bonus food menu, pierogi were always at the top of my list! I like to make them myself,\u201d explains S\u0142awosz.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Polish astronaut, who will be conducting over a dozen technological and scientific experiments during the Ignis mission, met an unexpected challenge with his beloved pierogi.<\/p>\n \u201cThe first batches kept bursting! It was not only about cooking the food, it was also the technological process behind. It took us a while to master freeze-drying, to remove moisture from the stuffing through the dough and to dispose of the water left after rehydration,\u201d he admits.\u00a0<\/p>\n Freeze-drying is a long process that completely removes any water from the food, maintaining its properties and structure for years.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n S\u0142awosz partnered with Polish family business LYOFOOD, a small company with over three decades of experience with freeze-drying technology that helped to find a solution for pierogi to be enjoyed after adding hot water from the dispensers on the Space Station.<\/p>\n Renowned Polish chef and restaurateur Mateusz Gessler created the main three dishes, while the apple crumble dessert is part of LYOFOOD\u2019s menu.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Microgravity has an impact on bone density, muscle tone and nutrients, and it becomes vital that\u00a0S\u0142awosz’s diet contains the fuel he needs.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n An astronaut\u2019s space menu comprises a range of food designed to meet nutritional and operational requirements on board. Teams on the ground start selecting meals months in advance because food must be sent to the lab for safety and nutritional testing after being freeze-dried, thermostabilised or vacuum-packed.<\/p>\n Before his Ignis mission takes off, S\u0142awosz participated in several space food tasting sessions and rated food and drinks. This helped determine what dishes will be included in their basic food supply throughout the mission.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t0<\/span> likes<\/small><\/span><\/p>\n<\/header>\nTaste of Poland in space<\/h2>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nThe pierogi challenge<\/h2>\n
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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIgnis menu<\/h2>\n
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Food in space<\/h2>\n
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