Moscow: Vegetables grown on board the International Space Station (ISS) can be consumed without fearing food poisoning, Russian scientists believe.
Scientists have been studying "orbital-grown" vegetables, including Misuna, or Japanese Cabbage, for several years.
"The samples of cabbage have been brought to Earth," said a spokesman for the Moscow-based Institute of Medical and Biological Problems.
"We have not detected any deviations in their biomass composition compared with cabbage grown on Earth."
"From a microbiological perspective, these samples were absolutely safe to consume," the scientist said.
Microbiological safety is a key parameter for determining space travellers' diet, as fruits and vegetables cannot be washed with water on board a spacecraft.
Russian scientists plan to use the results of these experiments for compiling a list of plants suitable for cultivating during prolonged space missions, including manned flights to Mars and beyond.
IANS
First Published: Thursday, January 31, 2013, 10:43