- US Army seeks lighter rations to reduce battlefield logistical burdens significantly
- Gel and powder meals under review for combat ration development
- Insect and lab-grown meat excluded from current Army study
The US Army wants to change what soldiers eat during combat operations through a new source sought announcement.
The military branch is asking for help developing alternative protein technologies for field rations in the near future.
The stated goal is to create lightweight and nutrient-dense meals that reduce logistical burdens on individual troops.
Lightening combat rations
Anyone who has carried heavy MREs on a long march understands why lighter rations matter for survival – however the proposed delivery formats do not sound particularly appetizing to anyone who has eaten military food before.
The military is seeking innovative technologies like fermentation and other biomanufacturing methods for alternative protein production.
Meat alternative products could eventually join the standard MRE lineup for soldiers operating in combat zones.
The Army also wants comprehensive consumer research to understand what troops will actually eat under field conditions.
Food samples will go to government taste testers for evaluation of sensory acceptability and other performance characteristics.
“Gel/semi-solid formats, dry powder mixes, [and] sauce-style components” are all under consideration for future ration components.
The Army explicitly excludes cell-cultured lab-grown meat and insect protein from this particular announcement, so soldiers will likely appreciate that there will be no bugs in their immediate future of military dining.
Past MRE preferences might predict future success or failure
Vegetarian MRE options from twenty years ago were surprisingly popular among soldiers who normally ate meat without any hesitation – perhaps as those meals replaced the usual military mystery meat with something far more appealing to eat out of a sealed envelope.
Soldiers chose those vegetarian rations not for ethical alignment with any personal philosophy about animal products – but simply wanted a meal that did not taste terrible after a 15-mile march with heavy gear on their backs.
This same logic will apply to any future alternative protein ration that the Army develops for field use.
If a fermented mushroom gel or a dry protein powder tastes bad, no soldier will eat it regardless of its logistical benefits.
The Army’s current research into gels, sauces, and semi-solid formats must prioritize palatability above every other technical requirement.
Beef frankfurters and compressed meat loaves earned a famously bad reputation among soldiers who served in the early 2000s.
The Army should learn from those failures before asking troops to swallow unholy shakes or fermented fungus from a pouch.
A lighter ration is useless if soldiers throw it away and march on an empty stomach instead.
The veteran’s perspective matters here because past behaviour predicts future behaviour under similar stressful conditions.
Soldiers will always choose the least terrible option available, regardless of what food scientists think sounds innovative or efficient.
Via The Register
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