A team of researchers has successfully made miso on the International Space Station (ISS), and their findings suggest that the fermented condiment tastes nuttier and more roasted than its Earth-made counterpart. The study, published in iScience, aimed to explore the effects of microgravity and increased radiation on food fermentation.
The researchers sent a small container of “miso-to-be” to the ISS, where it stayed for 30 days to ferment before returning to Earth as miso. They compared the flavor and scent of the ISS miso with that of two other batches made on Earth: one in Cambridge, MA, and the other in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The team analyzed the microbial communities, flavor compounds, and sensory properties of the misos and found that the ISS miso fermented successfully, but with notable differences in the bacterial communities present. The researchers also compared the aroma compounds and amino acid profiles of the samples, finding similarities between all three batches.
However, when it came to taste, the ISS miso was reported to have a more pronounced roasted and nutty flavor than the Earth-made misos. The team believes that this could be due to the effects of microgravity and increased radiation on microbial communities.
The study’s findings may have significant implications for future long-term space missions, as they could enhance astronaut well-being and performance by providing improved food options. The researchers also see potential for new forms of culinary expression and expanded cultural representation in space exploration.
“We’ve used something as fundamental as food as a starting point to spark conversations about social structures in space,” says co-lead author Maggie Coblentz. “The way we design systems in space sends a powerful message about who belongs there, who is invited, and how those people will experience space.”
Source: https://phys.org/news/2025-04-miso-space-nuttier.html