A food ration bar (also known as emergency food bar or compressed food bar)[1] is a type of biscuit generally included in emergency rations and compact field rations. A cross between a hardtack and an energy bar, these shelf-stable products provide a high caloric density and are generally made of grain flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.
Food ration bars may be consumed directly or broken up and mixed with water for a porridge. The composition depends on usage: humanitarian versions place a focus on protein content and nutrition fortification,[2] while naval products place the emphasis on it being non-thirst-provoking.[3]
Some example ration bars are:
- A-28 (rice) and A-29 (wheat), two USDA humanitarian standard products[4]
- BP-5 Compact Food, fortified humanitarian[2]
- Datrex, for lifeboat use[3]
- Type 90, Chinese military ration
Food bar standards are issued by maritime agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard[3] and humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Program,[1] each for their respective use cases.
Food ration bars under the name of 压缩干粮 "compact dry food" are a core part of the military food of the Chinese People's Liberation Army for field and emergency use.[5]
The experimental Close Combat Assault Ration for the US Army features several food bars,[6] produced using vacuum microwave drying and a new "sonic agglomeration" technology (a combination of ultrasonic welding and molding)[7] that removes the need of binding agents.[8] Steve1989MREInfo has a review of CCAR.[9]
See also edit
- High energy biscuit, a World Food Program standard product for humanitarian use; functionally similar but are proper biscuits in form
- Ninja diet
- butter mochi (Akita style), a high caloric density food used by Japanese matagi hunters
References edit
- ^ a b "Specialized nutritious foods". World Food Programme. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
- ^ a b Final Report on Development of an Emergency Food Product: Product and Packaging Specifications, Shelf Life Study and Drop Test Synopsis (PDF). United States Agency for International Development (Report). March 2007.
- ^ a b c "Best emergency rations (lifeboat food bars)". The Prepared. 15 November 2020.
- ^ https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/efp2.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ 军报梳理人民军队单兵口粮发展史：从压缩饼干到自热食品 [Military newspaper goes through the PLA's individual ration development: from ration bars to self-heating food]. 澎湃新闻.
- ^ "More nutrition to fuel Soldier lethality". Defense Logistics Agency.
- ^ Kord, Tyler (June 29, 2019). "Cooking (and Shrinking) the Modern Combat Ration". www.yahoo.com.
- ^ "New High Energy Bar from SOUND Seeks to Transform Combat Rations". WorldBakers. 6 March 2023.
- ^ Steve1989MREInfo (May 1, 2023). "2020 CCAR 24 Hour Ration of the Future Prototype Review MRE Tasting Test". YouTube.
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External links edit
- 2019 PLA LQ-002 Compact 24 Hour Food, review by Steve1989MREInfo on YouTube – example of Chinese food bars in current use