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The Reason Why You're Not Allowed To Have Bread In Space
By ELI SHAYOTOVICH
Astronauts must follow strict guidelines when they're bouncing around outer space, and their “no-can-do” list contains many things most Earth-bound folks take for granted like showers or laundry. Banned items even include the most ordinary of foods, say, the humble loaf of bread, in all its many forms, because it's messy.
Bread breaks apart or crumbles into teeny tiny bits and baubles that, when released into an environment without gravity, could get sucked into an air vent, get lodged, and start a fire. They can weasel their way into some expensive equipment and cause it to short circuit — or some small bit of wheat or barley might end up in an experiment not meant to have said ingredients.
NASA has long allowed astronauts to eat tortillas instead as they don't leave behind crumbs, have a much longer shelf life, and take up far less storage space due to their flat nature. Companies like Bake In Space have begun developing new ways to bring fresh bread to astronauts, but still face several hurdles such as finding out how dough bacteria react in space.