Airline meals

Meals prepared for consumption during air travel, designed to be served and eaten in confined cabin space. Production happens at central flight kitchens — run by the airline or contracted caterers — where menu items are cooked, rapidly chilled or frozen, portioned and sealed; chilled items are then reheated in special ovens during the flight. The long chain from kitchen to tray table at altitude makes time-temperature control and microbiological discipline critical, since a single lapse can affect hundreds of passengers. Special meals for allergies, religions and medical needs add complexity to an already demanding industrial catering operation.