One Of The Foods Banned From The International Space Station Is Extremely Simple

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We've all got to eat. Some do it around a table with loved ones or at a tasty restaurant, but others need to chow down in more unusual and exotic locations — including outer space! In some ways, mealtimes at the International Space Station are similar to those here on Earth. However, there are some massive and noticeable differences in other aspects. Most notably, this includes the absence of an ingredient many non-astronauts take for granted: bread.

With a bit of logic and common sense, it's easy to understand why this everyday staple is a no-go once in orbit. It comes down to crumbs, which are easily managed on Earth as they fall to your plate or other surfaces, ready to be quickly swept or vacuumed up. It's not so simple in zero-gravity; crumbs would float about the space station randomly, potentially causing a variety of unpleasant results, such as lodging in an air vent or getting caught in sensitive equipment.Such risks were highlighted when an astronaut got in trouble for smuggling a corned beef sandwich into space as a prank. Once unveiled, the banned sandwich began breaking apart but thankfully didn't do any damage.

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Fortunately for astronauts, there's a convenient and delicious alternative to bread that's available in the form of tortillas. In addition to their crumb-free nature, tortillas also offer the benefit of a longer shelf life and an improved storage capability thanks to their small, flat shape. Both are critical in an environment where there's no way to make a quick trip to the store for extras and where every inch matters. Surprisingly, Taco Bell made an impact on space food when NASA discovered the chain's shelf-stable tortillas were an excellent fit for extraplanetary travel.

The no bread rule may not be a permanent fixture of life in space, however. Companies have tested "crumb-free" bread baked right at the Space Station, which supporters say would provide some of the comforts of home to astronauts during their missions. Nevertheless, there's still a long way to go before this could be commonplace.

When not munching on tortillas, astronauts sometimes eat some pretty unusual foods. These range from liquid salt and pepper to canned bacon and even water made from recycled human waste. Food products are also often thermostabilized (exposed to high heat and pressure) and even irradiated with ionizing radiation to ensure they last through lengthy missions.