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ReturnChina:Silkworm to be on menu for Chinese astronauts
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admin
PublishDate：
2006-07-18 15:49:00
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Beijing, July 18: Silkworms may become a regular dish for Chinese astronauts with scientists discovering that the protein content of five to six silkworm pupas was equal to that of an egg.
Consuming mulberry silkworms has many benefits for space missions, a researcher with the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yang Yunan said.
"From a nutritional point of a view it has a high protein content and efficient nutrition conversion. On a practical level, it is easy to raise, it has a short lifespan and doesn't take up much space.
"Also, it doesn't smell and produces little waste water, making it a satisfactory space food," Yang said at the 36th Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assembly here.
Life-support has become a basic and critical issue since the launch of the first manned space flight, especially for the long-duration missions, such as the lunar-base, the space laboratory and the space station, said Liu Hong, Yang's colleague.
"Space food deserves to be one of the key issues to make the whole process possible," Liu said. The Chinese scientists found that the protein content of five to six silkworm pupas was equal to that of an egg, Xinhua news agency reported.
A silkworm pupa contains 18 kinds of amino acids and eight of them are vital for humans. A silkworm can produce edible protein after only one month, researchers found.
In recent years, the United States, Russia and Japan have carried out research on food and drink in space.
Nasa concentrated on growing plants in space which included wheat, soybean and potato. However, these space plants systems could not produce the animal protein, which has prompted extensive studies on raising animals in space to provide the correct nutrients.
Research has concentrated on fish and amphibians because of their shorter lifespan and simple breeding conditions.
Some European countries and Japan have also studied the urchin, snail and newt. However, fish and amphibians are sensitive to water conditions. For example, the effects of accumulated nitrate in water may cause a delay in spawning, hatching and development of the animals, so the best way to raising them is still being studied.
Consuming mulberry silkworms has many benefits for space missions, a researcher with the Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Yang Yunan said.
"From a nutritional point of a view it has a high protein content and efficient nutrition conversion. On a practical level, it is easy to raise, it has a short lifespan and doesn't take up much space.
"Also, it doesn't smell and produces little waste water, making it a satisfactory space food," Yang said at the 36th Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Scientific Assembly here.
Life-support has become a basic and critical issue since the launch of the first manned space flight, especially for the long-duration missions, such as the lunar-base, the space laboratory and the space station, said Liu Hong, Yang's colleague.
"Space food deserves to be one of the key issues to make the whole process possible," Liu said. The Chinese scientists found that the protein content of five to six silkworm pupas was equal to that of an egg, Xinhua news agency reported.
A silkworm pupa contains 18 kinds of amino acids and eight of them are vital for humans. A silkworm can produce edible protein after only one month, researchers found.
In recent years, the United States, Russia and Japan have carried out research on food and drink in space.
Nasa concentrated on growing plants in space which included wheat, soybean and potato. However, these space plants systems could not produce the animal protein, which has prompted extensive studies on raising animals in space to provide the correct nutrients.
Research has concentrated on fish and amphibians because of their shorter lifespan and simple breeding conditions.
Some European countries and Japan have also studied the urchin, snail and newt. However, fish and amphibians are sensitive to water conditions. For example, the effects of accumulated nitrate in water may cause a delay in spawning, hatching and development of the animals, so the best way to raising them is still being studied.
