Astronauts Cultivate Purple Kefir Aboard ISS for Vital Nutrition
Throughout human history, the quest for nourishment has been as much about survival as it has been about adaptation. Nowhere is this more evident than aboard the International Space Station (ISS), where from September 8 to 12, 2025, astronauts undertook an intriguing experiment: preparing and consuming purple kefir, a fermented dairy product rich in vitamins and probiotics. This seemingly simple act of cultivating a traditional Earth food in microgravity reveals layers of complexity in maintaining astronaut health, balancing nutrition, and even safeguarding mental well-being during long-duration space missions. As the boundaries of human presence extend further into the cosmos, the role of diet evolves from mere sustenance to a cornerstone of preventive medicine and psychological resilience. Purple kefir, a vibrant variant of the classic fermented milk drink, is distinguished by the addition of natural pigments such as anthocyanins derived from purple corn or berries. These compounds are potent antioxidants, believed…