Minerva mission: astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti in flight with the italian extra virgin olive oil
The Crew Dragon Freedom spacecraft, carrying ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti and her NASA colleagues Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines and Jessica Watkins, docked on the International Space Station on Thursday, April 28 at 1:37 am CEST.
The arrival on the Station marks the beginning of Samantha Cristoforetti’s second mission into space, known as Minerva.
With her there is a selection of Italian extra virgin olive oils agreed on November 26, 2021 on the occasion of the International Olive Day.
This is a project carried out by the Italian Space Agency in agreement with the Council for Research in Agriculture and the Analysis of the Agricultural Economy (CREA), and with the collaboration of Coldiretti and Unaprol (the Italian Olive Consortium).
The four space extra virgin oils selected by Coldiretti and Unaprol for the project are Italian products of the highest quality from different regions and each obtained from a single type of olive, representing the over 600 varieties that make our country unique; they share a high content of natural antioxidants, essential for those who, like astronauts, are subjected to conditions of intense psycho-physical stress.
Distinct and labeled on the basis of intensity and sensory profile, the oils are available to the crew to accompany a specific type of food: Coratina aims to enhance meals with a robust flavor, while Moraiolo was chosen for pairing with meat. The Itrana will be used to enhance their salads and the Carolea to accompany the fish. Each container of extra virgin olive oil will be labeled with its best food pairings.
Some selected oil samples are the protagonists of an unprecedented experiment on the effects of the permanence in space of this food:
“The containers will be used to store the extra virgin olive oil samples that have been selected to be at the center of the specific scientific experiment that will be conducted on the International Space Station“, says Enzo Perri, director of the CREA research center for olives. fruit and citrus crops, to Olive Oil Times. The experiment will allow researchers to understand how the content and profile of olive oil could change in space. Some samples of extra virgin olive oil will be brought back to Earth after 6 months, 12 months and 18 months on the ISS. “The containers will be the same as those used for other foods on the ISS, which will allow us to determine the changes that have occurred in normal operating conditions“, said Perri.
This operation is aimed at emphasizing the importance of the Italian agri-food heritage, enhancing and raising awareness of a strategic national asset for the country’s exports, as well as promoting the principles of proper nutrition. Fundamental principles also in the space field, where the correct nutrition of astronauts is a very important issue for health on board the ISS.
“I would never forget to bring extra virgin olive oil with me, which gives flavor to anything, even the rehydrated salads we eat here.”
Samantha Cristoforetti
Sources and insights:
Agenzia Spaziale Italiana – GIORNATA DELL’ULIVO: L’OLIO EXTRAVERGINE DI OLIVA ENTRA NELLA DIETA DEGLI ASTRONAUTI
Coldiretti – Spazio: la Cristoforetti in volo con l’extravergine italiano
CREA – Ministero delle politiche agricole, alimentari e forestali
Unaprol – L’OLIO EXTRAVERGINE ITALIANO NELLO SPAZIO CON SAMANTHA CRISTOFORETTI
Olive Oil Times – Gli oli extra vergini di oliva verranno spediti nello spazio nel 2022
