Journal
ACTA ASTRONAUTICA
Volume 94, Issue 2, Pages 799-806Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.actaastro.2013.10.009
Keywords
Zeaxanthin Lutein; beta-Carotene; Astronaut eye health; Nutrition; Bioregenerative life support systems
Categories
Funding
- National Science Foundation [DEB-1022236]
- University of Colorado at Boulder
- Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program
- Direct For Biological Sciences
- Division Of Environmental Biology [1022236] Funding Source: National Science Foundation
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Low levels of radiation during spaceflight increase the incidence of eye damage and consumption of certain carotenoids (especially zeaxanthin), via a whole-food-based diet (rather than from supplements), is recommended to protect human vision against radiation damage. Availability of fresh leafy produce has, furthermore, been identified as desirable for morale during long spaceflight missions. We report that only trace amounts of zeaxanthin are retained post-harvest in leaves grown under conditions conducive to rapid plant growth. We show that growth of plants under cool temperatures and very high light can trigger a greater retention of zeaxanthin, while, however, simultaneously retarding plant growth. We here introduce a novel growth condition low growth light supplemented with several short daily light pulses of higher intensity that also triggers zeaxanthin retention, but without causing any growth retardation. Moreover, two plant varieties with different hardiness exhibited a different propensity for zeaxanthin retention. These findings demonstrate that growth light environment and plant variety can be exploited to simultaneously optimize nutritional quality (with respect to zeaxanthin and two other carotenoids important for human vision, lutein and p-carotene) as well as biomass production of leafy greens suitable as bioregenerative systems for long-duration manned spaceflight missions. (C) 2013 IAA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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