French fries on Mars: Potatoes have been successfully fried in microgravity conditions by scientists at the European Space Agency (ESA), thus paving the way for astronauts to enjoy French fries brittle during long space missions. The experiment took place in a specially built room on an airplane that repeatedly followed parabolic arcs, thus creating short periods of weightlessness. Taking advantage of these times, the researchers fried potatoes in hot oil with results comparable to those observed on Earth.
ESA has actively supported research into microgravity cooking techniques to address knowledge gaps both on and off Earth. Although frying potatoes is a popular culinary method worldwide, it involves complex physical and chemical aspects that become more complex in the space environment. The success of frying without gravity is not guaranteed, as the lack of buoyancy can cause bubbles to adhere to the surface of the potatoes, thus forming a layer of steam that can lead to incomplete cooking. and the results are not appetizing.
Professor Thodoris Karapantsios, a member of the research team from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, emphasized that the physics and chemistry that underpin food processing is a fascinating and multifaceted subject, spanning many scientific disciplines. learn differently.
“Ask any chef and they will confirm that the physics and chemistry behind food is a complex and fascinating subject, interrelated with other sciences,” he say.
🍳 What better way to start your Sunday than with fried food?
But have you ever tried frying on zero-g mode?
As we prepare for the next mission #Moon and on Mars, you’ll be happy to know that the staple comfort food, French fries, is not out of reach 🍟
🔗 https://t.co/h55cTMO36w pic.twitter.com/ukK4NWXTzT
– ESA (@esa)
June 4, 2023
To study the effects of microgravity on frying and other cooking techniques, a pioneering conveyor-belt testing device was invented. This device ensures safety when operating in a weightless environment. The experiments were carried out during two ESA parabolic flight campaigns, in which the aircraft performed repeated arcs to simulate brief periods of weightlessness.
The frying process is recorded with a high-speed, high-resolution camera, recording essential bubble dynamic parameters such as growth rate, size and distribution as well as escape rate of bubbles from the potatoes. west, their speed and direction. movement within the oil. The temperature of the boiling oil and the internal temperature of the potato were also measured throughout the experiment.
To ensure safety, the testing hardware is automated and self-contained, maintaining constant pressure in the frying chamber to avoid leaks, oil splashes, and minimize energy consumption during the heating process.
French fries on Mars?
Researchers from the University of Thessaloniki, Greece, observed that steam bubbles easily separated from the surface of a potato immediately after it was immersed in oil under low gravity conditions, similar to the observed behavior. closely on Earth. Although further investigation is needed to fine-tune certain parameters, these findings suggest that astronauts will have more options than rehydrating food when they embark on expeditions to unexplored territories, including Mars.
John Lioumbas from the research team concluded that in addition to enhancing the nutrition and comfort of astronauts, space frying research has the potential to lead to advances in many different fields.
“In addition to nutrition and comfort, research into space frying could also lead to advances in a variety of fields, from traditional boiling to solar hydrogen production in microenvironments. gravitation.”
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: pagasa.edu.vn