Washington State University scientists have developed a way to triple the shelf life of ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese.
You may well ask why?
If humans travel to Mars in the future, they will need food that won’t spoil during the long journey, and while they’re on the surface.
Currently, plastic packaging can keep food safe at room temperature for up to twelve months, but researchers believe they’ve developed ready-to-eat macaroni and cheese that could last up to three years with a new kind of packaging.
So, who’s going to test three-year-old Mac and Cheese?
The US Army will conduct trials of the pre-packed meal, keeping them in an incubator at high temperatures for six months to speed up the food’s age to three years.
For space travel, food will have to last for up to five years, but NASA won’t be sending out a ‘mac and cheese’ mission just yet.
The same ageing process for five-year-old meals can be done by keeping meals in an incubator for nine months.
