
Astronauts are always are on guard against toxic spills that could contaminate the International Space Station. But there is nothing in their training manuals about how to clean up flying wasabi. The spicy greenish condiment was squirted out of a tube while astronaut Sunita Williams was trying to make a pretend sushi meal with bag-packaged salmon...Since everything is weightless, spilled food is no ordinary clean-up challenge. Williams reports it took a while to get rid of the smell of wasabi in the station..."Psychologically, it's very important," space station dietitian Paula Hall said of the gourmet extras. "It's really important to have variety, to have surprises. It's important to have food that makes you happy, that makes you smile." Unfortunately for Williams, the wasabi tube has been banished to a cargo vehicle where it will stay packed away. "I don't think we're going to use it anymore," she said. "It's too dangerous"...more...