Our Japanese space food product, Manda Koso (Manda Superfood), has been selected for the first time to be carried aboard the International Space Station (ISS) during JAXA astronaut Takuya Onishi’s long-term
mission.
Produced on the small island of Innoshima in the Shimanami Kaido, the fermented food “Manda Koso” is
launching into space. It is scheduled to launch aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft mission CR-10 (Crew-
10) in March 2025.
Certified Japanese Space Food by JAXA and Off to Space!
In November 2023, Manda Koso was certified as Japanese space food by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Although it is extremely difficult for fermented foods to meet the certification standards, our company formed a project team in September 2020. After passing various reviews based on strict safety and quality standards, we achieved this certification, the first for any company in Hiroshima Prefecture.
It feels like a significant coincidence that Manda Koso (Space Use) was chosen to be loaded onto the
ISS in the year marking the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. We also find it meaningful to
send a food product manufactured using ancient and evolving “fermentation” technology into outer
space, where efforts for peaceful use continue.
Potential Benefits of Fermented Foods for Future Generations
Manda Koso is a botanical-based fermented food made from over 53 types of botanical ingredients that
undergo long-term fermentation and maturation. Guided by our corporate philosophy of “contributing to
the health of people and the Earth,” we have believed in the potential benefits of fermented foods and
have continued to deliver our products to customers for 40 years. We have finally gained the
opportunity for it to be enjoyed in space. With its rich flavor that truly lets you feel the power of plants
nurtured by the Earth, Manda Koso is sometimes called a “guardian charm” by loyal users because it is a
fermented food that can be consumed without stress.
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