A selection of extra virgin olive oils will leave the Earth in spring 2022 to reach the International Space Station (ISS); this selection will be the protagonists of an unprecedented experiment on the effects of staying in space on this food. This has been announced on the occasion of World Olive Day celebrated on November 26th, in a project that is part of an agreement with the Council for Research in Agriculture and Analysis of the Agrarian Economy (CREA).

The four extra virgin olive oils selected from the space are products of the highest quality from different regions and olive varieties. Specifically, part of these EVOOs will be used to make the so-called “bonus food” for the crew of Expedition 67/68. The "bonus food" is one of the foods that astronauts can choose to supplement their standard diet, which are foods that are prepared and packaged on land.

The EVOOs, different and labeled according to intensity and sensory profile, will be available to the crew to accompany a specific type of meal: meat, fish, vegetables and one to enhance the most intense flavors.

These are fundamental principles also in the space environment, where the correct nutrition of astronauts is a very important issue for their health on board the ISS. In this sense, the positive health effects associated with the consumption of extra virgin olive oil have been proven by numerous scientific studies.

Source: Mercacei