Space-driven ROS in cells: a hidden danger to astronaut health and food safety.

Astronaut nutrition faces supply, logistics, and cost challenges, making space farming a solution. While plants adapt to space microgravity may trigger oxidative stress. Research shows space-grown plants achieve Earth-like growth, but ROS accumulation remains a concern.

Raman spectroscopy as a tool for assessing plant growth in space and on lunar regolith simulants.

Colonization of the Moon and other planets is an aspiration of NASA and may yield important benefits for our civilization. The feasibility of such endeavors depends on both innovative engineering concepts and the successful adaptation of life forms that exist on Earth to inhospitable environments. In this study, we investigate the potential of Raman spectroscopy (RS) in a non-invasive and non-destructive assessment of changes in the biochemistry of plants exposed to zero gravity on the International Space Station and during growth on lunar regolith simulants on Earth.

Telomere dynamics and oxidative stress in Arabidopsis grown in lunar regolith simulant.

NASA envisions a future where humans establish a thriving colony on the Moon by 2050. Plants will be essential for this endeavor, but little is known about their adaptation to extraterrestrial bodies. The capacity to grow plants in lunar regolith would represent a major step towards this goal by minimizing the reliance on resources transported from Earth.

Arabidopsis telomerase takes off by uncoupling enzyme activity from telomere length maintenance in space.

Spaceflight-induced changes in astronaut telomeres have garnered significant attention in recent years. While plants represent an essential component of future long-duration space travel, the impacts of spaceflight on plant telomeres and telomerase have not been examined. Here we report on the telomere dynamics of Arabidopsis thaliana grown aboard the International Space Station.

Mechanical properties and quality parameters of chitosan-edible algae (Palmaria palmata) on ready-to-eat strawberries.

Background: Strawberries are appreciated for their taste, flavor, and juiciness; however, they are highly perishable during postharvest, handling, and storage stages, producing significant physical damage and loss of vitamins and other phytonutrients. This study therefore aimed to determine the applicability of edible coatings as an environmentally friendly strategy to improve the fresh appearance of strawberries and extend their shelf life.

Results: The effectiveness of edible coatings formulated with chitosan (CHC) or chitosan and algae (Palmaria palmata Kuntze) (CH-PC) was investigated with regard to quality and nutritional parameters for ready-to-eat strawberries processed and stored at 4 °C for 10 days.