This spacefood package from the Apollo era contains dehydrated and compressed beef with vegetables. It required rehydration with hot water and could be eaten directly from the bag. Apollo astronauts were provided with three meals per day which provided approximately 2,800 calories.
The food was protected with a 4-ply, laminated film coating. This protected the food from loss of flavor, moisture and oxygen invasion, spoiling and excess crumbling, and was used on both the rehydratable and the bite-sized foods. The rehydratable foods also had an 8-quinolinol sulfate tablet attached to reduce spoilage in the used food wraps.
Transferred to the national Air and Space Museum from NASA
This object is not on display at the National Air and Space Museum. It is either on loan or in storage.
United States of America
PERSONAL EQUIPMENT-Food & Food Accessories
Whirlpool Corporation
3-D: 17 × 18 × 2.5cm (6 11/16 × 7 1/16 × 1 in.)
Exterior: 4-ply Polyethelyne laminate bag
Valve: Plastic
Contents: Dehydrated, compressed beef with vegetables
A19860454000
Transferred from NASA
National Air and Space Museum
Usage conditions apply
For more information, visit the Smithsonians Terms of Use.