- US military seeks lighter rations to significantly reduce logistical burdens on the battlefield
- Gel and powder meals under consideration for combat ration development
- Insect and lab meat excluded from current Army study
The U.S. military wants to change what soldiers eat during combat operations thanks to a new announcement sought by a source.
The Army is asking for help in developing alternative protein-based technologies for field rations in the near future.
The stated goal is to create light, nutrient-dense meals that reduce the logistical burden on individual troops.
Reduced combat rations
Anyone who has carried heavy MREs on a long march understands why lighter rations are important for survival – however, the delivery formats offered do not seem particularly appetizing to anyone who has ever eaten military food.
The Army is researching innovative technologies such as fermentation and other biomanufacturing methods for alternative protein production.
Meat alternative products could eventually join the standard line of MREs for soldiers operating in combat zones.
The military also wants to conduct extensive consumer research to understand what troops will actually eat in the field.
The food samples will be sent to government taste testers to assess sensory acceptability and other performance characteristics.
“Gel/semi-solid formats, dry powder mixtures, [and] “Sauce-like components” are all being explored for future ration components.
The Army is explicitly excluding lab-grown meat and cell-grown insect proteins from this particular announcement, so soldiers will likely appreciate that there will be no insects in their immediate future when it comes to military meals.
Past MRE Preferences Can Predict Future Success or Failure
MRE’s vegetarian options of twenty years ago were surprisingly popular among soldiers who normally ate meat without any hesitation – perhaps because these meals replaced the usual military mystery meat with something far more appealing to eat in a sealed envelope.
Soldiers chose these vegetarian rations not to align with any personal philosophy regarding animal products, but simply for a meal that wouldn’t taste bad after a 15-mile march with heavy equipment on their back.
This same logic will apply to any future alternative protein ration that the Army develops for use in the field.
If a fermented mushroom gel or dry protein powder tastes bad, no soldier will eat it, regardless of its logistical advantages.
Current Army research into gels, sauces, and semi-solid formats must prioritize palatability above any other technical requirements.
Beef sausages and compressed meatloaves gained a bad reputation among soldiers who served in the early 2000s.
The military should learn from these failures before asking troops to down ungodly shakes or fermented mushrooms from a pouch.
A lighter ration is useless if soldiers throw it away and march on empty stomachs.
The veteran’s perspective is important here, as their past behavior predicts their future behavior under similar stressful conditions.
Soldiers will always choose the least terrible option available, no matter what food scientists deem innovative or effective.
Via the register
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds.
