Posted on 06/08/2007 8:34:21 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (AFP) - In the dusty battlegrounds of Iraq where open-air food shopping poses a security threat, new technology is allowing US troops to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables, even in remote desert locations.
"Scientists have shown a direct link between mood, morale and performance when based on the impact of what you eat," said Gerald Darsch, director of the US Army's "combat feeding" program at the Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center in Natick, Massachusetts.
And "fresh fruits and vegetables clearly is a request."
Darsch this week gave Congress a rundown on the latest scientific developments to help an age-old military problem -- feed and protect soldiers while not weighing them down.
In Iraq, he said the army avoids buying food at local Iraqi markets for security and hygiene reasons, citing a threat of bio-terrorism. Markets have also been the targets of deadly bombings.
Darsch's department works on improving the quality of troop rations, such as extending the shelf-life of the fruits and vegetables in ration packs.
His team came up with "smart label," part of the plastic packaging, which helps maintain the carbon dioxide to oxygen ratio as storage temperatures change.
This helps keep the food fresh while it is delivered to personnel in far-flung parts of the country.
"It does give a lot more capability to at least get some fresh fruits and vegetables to the most forward operating locations," Darsch said.
The device keeps tomatoes and lettuce fresh for 35 days and bananas for 15 days, 200 percent longer than normal, he said.
The center also devised ration packs weighing 50 percent less than other types, since troops away from base on foot patrol for several days at a time would often throw away much of the kit to reduce the weight of their packs.
"It saves the US taxpayers 46 percent of what it would have cost" to send the bulkier rations, Darsch said.
Other new gadgets the army presented to Congress this week were more directly related to combat operations in Iraq, where at least 3,493 US soldiers or personnel have been killed since the March 2003 invasion, according to an AFP tally based on Pentagon figures.
These included hi-tech binoculars for seeing in the dark and an "advanced bomb suit" to protect against the improvised explosive devices used in lots of insurgent attacks.
The suit has a reinforced helmet and built-in fan and lamp, both operated by a remote control on the arm, plus volume enhancers for hearing surrounding noises.
Lushana Offutt, an army clothing and equipment product manager, said a major focus of her work over the last year was to give troops "protection with less weight."
"We try to look at different technology," she said, describing a newly developed fire-proof long-sleeved shirt.
"If you are wearing a body armor, your torso obviously is going to be protected from bullets but also from fire, but then your arms, your hands, your neck and your face are an issue."
Her department also developed a special light-weight coat "for extreme cold in the mountains of Afghanistan," where the United States are patrolling alongside international forces.
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The device keeps tomatoes and lettuce fresh for 35 days and bananas for 15 days, 200 percent longer than normal, he said.
The center also devised ration packs weighing 50 percent less than other types, since troops away from base on foot patrol for several days at a time would often throw away much of the kit to reduce the weight of their packs.
An Iraqi displays his vegetables and legumes at his shop in central Baghdad in April 2007. In the dusty battlegrounds of Iraq where open-air food shopping poses a security threat, new technology is allowing US troops to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables, even in remote desert locations.(AFP/File/Ali Yussef)
“””The center also devised ration packs weighing 50 percent less than other types, since troops away from base on foot patrol for several days at a time would often throw away much of the kit to reduce the weight of their packs.”””
I know that 40 years ago they had LRRP rations for specialized troops, surely now they could have variations available for various needs within mission demands.
That was close. For a minute I thought they wouldn’t be able to work it into the article. (S)
This is not the drug store strength hydrogen peroxide which is only 2.5% H2O2 and contains stabilizers like aluminum biproducts. This is much stronger and you must seriously dilute it before using it on anything. It will burn your skin if undiluted, but it is amazing.
It does work though. Bananas, lettuce, berries, etc, last for weeks without discoloring, getting mushy, or losing any flavor. Just maybe the army should check out some of this stuff, and it is probably a lot cheaper than any high tech bags or labels.
Added benefit is that it destroys most harmfull bacteria (ecoli, samonela, etc) on the veggies so it sanatizes as it protects. I wonder if the army looked at this stuff before going to “high tech” solutions?
Good catch.
HSN ( home shopping network) Sells “green bags” that keep fruits and veggies fresher longer. They also have “gold bags” for bread and pastry. I had actually thought of buying them to ship food to Iraq. Previously I’ve tried to ship Italian bread, vacuum sealed, but it is still moldy by the time it gets there, Guess the government shops at HSN now. :)
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