Moscow, Jan 31 (IANS/RIA Novosti): Vegetables grown on board the International Space Station (ISS) can be consumed without fearing food poisoning, Russian scientists believe.

Scientists have been studying "orbital-grown" vegetables, including Misuna, or Japanese Cabbage, for several years.

"The samples of cabbage have been brought to Earth," said a spokesman for the Moscow-based Institute of Medical and Biological Problems.

"We have not detected any deviations in their biomass composition compared with cabbage grown on Earth."

"From a microbiological perspective, these samples were absolutely safe to consume," the scientist said.

Microbiological safety is a key parameter for determining space travellers' diet, as fruits and vegetables cannot be washed with water on board a spacecraft.

Russian scientists plan to use the results of these experiments for compiling a list of plants suitable for cultivating during prolonged space missions, including manned flights to Mars and beyond