US military creates indestructible sandwich

New Scientist ^ | 10 April 02 | Duncan Graham-Rowe

[aculeus]

First came the atom bomb, the stealth bomber and the airborne laser. Now comes the US military's latest fearsome weapon: the indestructible sandwich.

Capable of surviving airdrops, rough handling and extreme climates, and just about anything except a GI's jaws, the new "pocket" sandwich is designed to stay "fresh" for up to three years at 26 °C (about the temperature of a warm summer's day), or for six months at 38 °C (just over body temperature).

For years the US army has wanted to supplement its standard battlefield rations, called "Meal, Ready-to-Eat" (MRE), with something that can be eaten on the move. Although MREs already contain ingredients that could be made into sandwiches, these have to be pasteurised and stored in separate pouches, and the soldiers need to make the sandwiches themselves.

"The water activity of the different sandwich components needs to complement each other," explains Michelle Richardson, project officer at the US Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. "If the water activity of the meat is too high you might get soggy bread."

Pocket pizzas

To tackle the problem, researchers at Natick used fillings such as pepperoni and chicken to which they added substances called humectants, which stop water leaking out. The humectants not only prevent water from the fillings soaking into the bread, but also limit the amount of moisture available for bacterial growth.

The sandwiches are then sealed, without pasteurisation, in laminated plastic pouches that also include sachets of oxygen-scavenging chemicals. A lack of oxygen helps prevent the growth of yeast, mould and bacteria.

Soldiers who tried the pepperoni and barbecue-chicken pocket sandwiches have found them "acceptable". They are now planning to extend the menu to pocket pizzas, as well as cream-filled bagels, breakfast burritos and even peanut-butter sandwiches.

The pocket sandwiches won't see action until 2004. But like dehydrated egg, freeze-dried coffee and processed cheese - all originally developed by the military - the long-life sandwich will probably find its way into grocery stores.

[XBob]

12 - "Now if only we had a "pocket" beer to wash it all down. "

Actually, about 10 or 15 years ago the japanese invented dried, instant booze. Just add water and you got an alcoholic beverage drink, cocktail. It seems They developed some way to encapsulate the alcohol, and make it like 'tiny little time pills', pour a dried packet into a glass and add water, which 'melted' the coatings and freed the alcohol.

But after a brief flurry, and a campaign by MADD, in addition to various do gooders and the booze companies, it got 'buried'.

[XBob]

It seems to me that it was about a year or 2 ago that one guy went to and old camp site he had been to as a boy in the mid-1950's, and when digging a garbage hole found his old garbage from nearly 50 years before, including a normal, apparently undamaged hot dog.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Indestructible sandwich? My mom should sue for theft of patent.

[TerryInRiverside]

I remember reading a remarkably similar article in the newspaper. This group of people was digging at a sanitary landfill (for what purpose I'm not aware}, when they came across half a hot dog. Their explanation was it the preservatives it contained.

[sheltonmac]

Is that a sandwich in your pocket......?

[JAWs]

Super heros for American heros!

[B-Chan]

I see the Army hasn't changed any. High tech shite is still shite.

Thank God I'm a Navy man. Lord knows, the food on the ship wasn't good, but at least it wasn't pepperoni and humectant. Yuk...

[aculeus]

This article has been indexed to the following Bump List folders:

cheesewatch: Inane/Incoherent posts, usually vanities.

I am profoundly insulted. :-(

[ffusco]

i saw that in alien resurection.

[Kozak]

Now to figure out how to store cereal in milk without it getting soggy.

You just need some of that " non nutritive cereal varnish " developed by Clark Griswold of "Vacation" fame...

[Vinnie]

which they added substances called humectants, which stop water leaking out. The humectants not only prevent water from the fillings soaking into the bread, but also limit the amount of moisture available for bacterial growth.

Sounds like a 'Depends' diaper.

The sandwiches are then sealed, without pasteurisation, in laminated plastic pouches that also include sachets of oxygen-scavenging chemicals. A lack of oxygen helps prevent the growth of yeast, mould and bacteria

Seriously, isn't that asking for an anaerobic bacteria aka. Botulism?

[uglybiker]

Now if only we had a "pocket" beer to wash it all down.

Ask and ye shall receive.

[Junior]

Will they issue the laxative in the same packet or separately?

[quark]

The Navy's had an indestructible sandwich for years: "Horsec**k and cheese," a.k.a. bologna with a slice of American!

[WhiskeyPapa]

Back in 1983, MRE's were just being introduced. We had a 5 day op at Camp LeJeune. We had C-Rats part of the time and MRE's part of the time. The last night the colonel came by and gave a short talk about our upcoming deployment to Okinawa. Afer the colonel left, the company gunnery sergeant stood up said he had enough C-rats to issue every Marine two meals.

They cheered! Bottom definitely looks like up when you have to cheer C-rats.

Walt

[shanec]

FYI,
Discovered fellow church member last fall was the comptroller at the major MRE manufacturer for the DoD. Been after him ever since to let me buy a truckload (or two) of new production MRE Entree's for re-sale. Half just came in yesterday and the rest comes in tonight. If interested, see/read... www.ki4u.com/mre.htm
-Shane

[tet68]

Humectant, wasn't that the stuff on Monica's blue dress?
or was that presidue?

[Rebelbase]

"Now to figure out how to store cereal in milk without it getting soggy. "

There is a Nobel Prize waiting for the person who figures that one out.