NASA gives update on long-lost space tomatoes

Dec. 15 (UPI) -- NASA offered an update on the two tomatoes lost for eight months aboard the International Space Station and offered the first look at the dehydrated fruits.

The tomatoes, among the first ever grown in space, were originally suspected to have been eaten by astronaut Frank Rubio, who insisted they were merely lost somewhere on the station, and Expedition 70 crew members recently revealed Rubio was exonerated, as they had located the long-lost foods eight months later.

NASA has now provided a first look at the tomatoes, which are dehydrated and squished, but astronauts said they showed no visible signs of microbial or fungal growth, despite the high humidity aboard the station.

The space agency said the tomatoes were discarded by the station crew.