BeeHex, a company based in Ohio, is one of 18 teams selected to compete in Phase II of the Deep Space Food Challenge. The challenge, sponsored by NASA and the Canadian Space Agency, aims to create foods that can sustain a crew of astronauts on a deep-space mission to Mars for at least three years. BeeHex is creating 3D printed foods using a machine called the Universal Food Fabricator (UFF), which uses a dehydration chamber to turn foods into powder form. The machine can then rehydrate and print the food, creating a palatable texture. The goal is to improve the taste and quality of space food while also addressing food waste and food shortages on Earth. Another participant, Hope Hersh, has developed a no-knead bread made with edible algae that can be baked in a reusable plastic bag. Both BeeHex and Hersh’s projects have the potential to address food challenges not only in space but also on Earth.
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/nasa-deep-space-food-challenge