Would you have expected that among Samantha Cristoforetti's "equipment" aboard the International Space Station there was aextra virgin olive oil of excellent quality? This is the best that Italy has to offer. A top 4 obtained by analyzing the 533 varieties present in our country.
Oil mission in space
What is the use of having extra virgin olive oil with you in space? Let's start by saying that it will not be used only as a condiment. It is part of the "bonus food"Of the crew, or of those specialties that each astronaut can bring with him to supplement the planned diet. Each of the four oils is designed for a type of food:
- meat
- fish
- vegetables
- exaltation of the most intense flavors
Why choose this as a bonus food? Coldiretti explains it: “Numerous scientific studies have proven the positive health effects associated with the consumption of extra virgin olive oil. The four selected are united by a high content of natural antioxidants, essential for those who, like astronauts, are subjected to conditions of intense psycho-physical stress ".
However, it will also be at the center of an interesting experiment. This is the EVOO in space project, which will allow to study the behavior of the oil. Specifically, the impact of microgravity and radiation conditions on the physio-chemical, microbiological and nutritional characteristics of theoil as a food rich in anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Photo source: https://www.facebook.com/ESASamanthaCristoforetti
Very interesting!!!