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While Tang was a signature drink, it wasn't the first food consumed in space. That honor belongs to Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. He enjoyed a meal of beef and liver paste out of a tube during his historic flight on April 12, 1961. The American space program adopted similar techniques, with John Glenn reportedly consuming squeeze-packed semi-solid foods during the Mercury missions, reminiscent of baby food but intended for adults. The food had to be packaged this way to prevent mess and maintain a manageable way to eat in microgravity, a challenge further compounded when astronauts experimented with cookies during missions, which led to crumbs floating around the cabin.