Most of the Shuttle foods are preserved by dehydration, which saves weight and storage space. Water for rehydration is ample since it is a byproduct of the fuel cells which generate electricity. Some foods are thermostabilized, that is, they are heat sterilized and then sealed in conventional cans or plastic pouches. Sanitation Eating utensils are cleaned with wet wipes. The difference between orbiter wet wipes and those used on Earth is that the orbiter's contain a strong disinfectant.
Sanitation is more important in the confines of the orbiter than on Earth.
Space studies have shown the population of some microbes can increase extraordinarily in a confined weightless area such as a spacecraft cabin. This could potentially spread illness to everyone on board. As a result, not only eating components but also the dining area, the toilet, and sleeping areas are regularly cleaned. Garbage and trash also are sealed in plastic bags. A favorite question of people interested in space is how the astronauts took care of digestive elimination.