Candidates for Japanese Space Food selected
September 5, 2014 (JST)
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA)
The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) invited candidates for future Japanese Space Food to be certified, aiming to enrich the variety of Japanese Space food, which will help improve the nutritional balance of astronauts, alleviate their mental stresses, and enhance their performance.
After scrupulously examining 108 food candidates, JAXA would like to present a selection of 33 items from 21 companies (Table 1) that were selected as follows.
JAXA will start certification procedures for Japanese Space Food after fully testing and inspecting the selected food candidates in accordance with the Certification Standards of Japanese Space Foods provided by JAXA.
Application period
July 24, 2013 – December 2, 2013
Selection method
Based on the examination by the Space Food Subcommittee of the Support Committee for Manned Space Activities, the external advisory committee of JAXA, JAXA selected items with synthetic judgement.
Examination criteria
- Matching the "Food Candidate List" of Japanese Space Food provided by JAXA at the time of invitation.
- Suitability for space food (e.g. cooking methods (must be any of the following: adding water, heating, or no cooking required), not leaving behind any moisture or scraps.)
- Shelf life at room temperature exceeding eighteen months.
- Containing 1,000 mg or less of sodium.
- Sensory evaluation through tasting by the Space Food Subcommittee
(Evaluation items: palette, smell, flavor (taste), texture, ease of eating, and comprehensive evaluation.)
For your reference, access the following link regarding Japanese Space Food that have been certified.
| Category | Group | Name of applied food item | Name of company | Location (Municipality) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rice | White rice | Cooked Rice | Foricafoods Corporation | Uonuma city, Niigata pref. |
| Rice mixed with vegetables | Cooked Brown Rice and 4 Grains | Ajikikko Co., Ltd. | Sumoto city, Hyogo pref. | |
| Bread | Sweet bun | SPACE BREAD® | PAN AKIMOTO Co., Ltd. | Nasushiobara city, Tochigi pref. |
| Meat dish | Simmered/Stewed dish | Japanese Beef Keema Curry with Pear “SHINKANSEN” | TURUDAYA Co., Ltd. | Kurayoshi city, Tottori pref. |
| Tanegashima Banana & Ingi Chiken Curry | Fujikousan Co.,Ltd. | Inashiro city, Tokyo | ||
| Yamato-ni Beef | Foricafoods Corporation | Uonuma city, Niigata pref. | ||
| Grilled dish | Grilled Beef Ribs (Karubi) | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | |
| K&K KANTSUMA Roasted Japanese Chicken Tail with Sorachi Sauce | KOKUBU & CO., LTD. | Chuo ward, Tokyo | ||
| Fried dish | Stir-Fried Thinly-Sliced Beef and Green Pepper | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | |
| Seafood dish | Simmered/Stewed dish | Japanese Spiny Lobster in Chili Sauce | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. |
| Canned Mackerel in Soy Sauce | Fukui prefectural Wakasa Senior High School | Obama city, Fukui pref. | ||
| Chirimen-Zansho (Sansho Pepper-Seasoned Small Dried Sardines) | TAKARA SHOKUHIN CO., LTD. | Shodoshima-cho, Shodo-gun, Kagawa pref. | ||
| Grilled dish | Salt-Grilled Sea Bass | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | |
| Salt-Grilled Sea Bream | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | ||
| KOUBAI Seasoned Dried Seaweed in Package | YAMAMOTO-NORITEN CO., LTD. | Chuo ward, Tokyo | ||
| Fried dish | Stir-Fried Cabbage & Seafood | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | |
| Fish paste | FD Crab Taste Fish Paste ‘Kamaboko’ (L size) | HASSUI-KAMABOKO CO., LTD. | Yawatahama city, Ehime pref. | |
| Vegetable dish | Salad | Hijiki Seaweed Salad | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. |
| Simmered/Stewed dish | Chicken & Vegetables Stewed in Japanese Style | MUSASHI-FUSOH CORPORATION | Chiyoda ward, Tokyo | |
| Sweet Potato in Lemon Sauce | Alpha Foods Co., Ltd. | Minato ward, Tokyo | ||
| Sweet-Stewed Pumpkin | Alpha Foods Co., Ltd. | Minato ward, Tokyo | ||
| Simmered Deep-Fried Eggplant | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | ||
| Grilled dish | Baked Sweet Potato | FOODS SUPPLY DAISO CO., LTD. | Kagoshima city, Kagoshima pref. | |
| Dressed dish | Spinach with Sesame Dressing | Kyokushoku Ltd. | Sapporo city, Hokkaido pref. | |
| Soup | Soup (Japanese-style) | Chicken Ball & Vegetable Soup | Foricafoods Corporation | Uonuma city, Niigata pref. |
| Ton Jiru (Pork & Vegetable Miso Soup) | MARUKOME CO., LTD. | Nagano city, Nagano pref. | ||
| Dessert | Fruit | Space Apple-Grated & Diced | Kikkoman Food Products Company | Minato ward, Tokyo |
| Delicious Dietary Fiber Peach Flavor | House Foods Corporation | Chiyoda ward, Tokyo | ||
| Biscuit | Calorie Mate BLOCK (Cheese) | Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. | Chiyoda ward, Tokyo | |
| Rice cake | Rice Cake | Echigoseika Co., Ltd. | Nagaoka city, Niigata pref. | |
| Sweet jellied bean paste | Usuzumi Jellied Sweet Bean Paste ‘Yokan’ | Nakanohonpo Co., Ltd. | Matsuyama city, Ehime pref. | |
| Beverage | Beverage | Jelly Drink (Weider in Jelly Energy In) | MORINAGA & CO., LTD. | Minato ward, Tokyo |
| Seasoning | Seasoning | KIKKOMAN SOY SAUCE SHIBORITATE "NAMA" SOY SAUCE LESS SODIUM | Kikkoman Food Products Company | Minato ward, Tokyo |