A Lithuanian company, UAB "Geld Baltic," which produces freeze-dried snacks under the "Super Garden" brand, has won a competition announced by the European Space Agency (ESA) and will develop a new recipe for space-bound snacks. According to the company's founder, Laura Kaziukonienė, this innovation will enrich astronauts' menus not only with nutrition but also with flavor.

"Everything can be freeze-dried – even cold beetroot soup, cheese, meat, or alcoholic beverages. For example, freeze-dried ice cream, which doesn't melt, has created a breakthrough for us, and it is requested by customers in dozens of markets worldwide where we sell," says Kaziukonienė.

"Now, we have the opportunity to create a wide range of snacks that offer both flavor variety and nutritional value for European astronauts," she adds.

According to her, the requirements for food that will travel to space are exceptionally high and complex: it must not only withstand extreme temperature and pressure variations, occupy very little space, remain completely sealed from air and the environment, stay fresh for a long time, be nutritious, and provide all the necessary vitamins and minerals, but most importantly, it must also taste good.

Space food has long been characterized by bland flavors because technology couldn't ensure a more intense taste. However, it is in space where the intensity of flavors is crucial: space disrupts taste receptors, reducing their sensitivity, explains the expert.

"As technology advances, freeze-drying developed by NASA has opened entirely new possibilities to enrich astronauts' lives on the International Space Station with small but significant pleasures, such as delicious food. This greatly contributes to their emotional well-being and recreates experiences similar to those at home. Therefore, when developing snack recipes, we will pay special attention to national cuisines, considering the nationalities of European astronauts and their familiar tastes," Kaziukonienė says.

"Technologically, we can go even further today – in the 'Super Garden' team, we apply not only the latest freeze-drying technologies but also work with completely new protein sources, which have not yet been widely applied but are essential for any healthy snack. We hope this will ensure even faster evolution in the astronaut food sector," she continues.

The entrepreneur states that the space-bound snacks are various products, freeze-dried to powder and enriched with natural fats and proteins: fruits, vegetables, berries, dairy and meat products, or even whole dishes. Once shaped into cubes, they retain all their flavor and nutritional properties but can be consumed for 2 to 20 years because, in the absence of moisture, no microbiological processes occur.

According to the information provided by the European Space Agency, currently, all freeze-dried food for astronauts on the International Space Station is provided by U.S. manufacturers, making this a free niche in Europe. However, the technology created by Lithuanians will still have to undergo a very complex verification process before being sent into space – all astronaut food must be resistant to the challenging conditions it will be subjected to.

"Super Garden" attracted the interest of the European Space Agency back in 2022, so it is exciting to see that the company's consistent work and active involvement in both the Lithuanian and international space sector ecosystems have been recognized by the ESA, which recommends funding for the "Super Garden" project.

ESA funding is not only an acknowledgment but also an opening of new opportunities. Since astronaut food supply is a very narrow niche, the French Space Agency (CNES) essentially dominates in Europe. Therefore, seeing that "Super Garden" intends to collaborate with CNES within the framework of this project, I am hopeful that this will not be a one-time project but will help the company open new horizons in the future. And the future looks bright because we foresee that, over the next decade, the goals of space exploration will not be limited to scientific research or experimental activities but will also include a breakthrough in space tourism. Therefore, supplying lightweight, nutritious, and high-quality food will be one of the objectives," says Eigirdas Sarkanas, an expert from the Innovation Agency Space Hub LT.

The space snacks will be created based on a patented product by UAB "Geld Baltic."