Society

Canned mackerel certified as space food

Nov 13 (NHK) - 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.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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