Everyone knows what MREs are. MREs or Meals-Ready-to-Eat are pre-packaged food items that troops eat while in the field when the nearest messhall, sari-sari store or Jollibee is miles away. Minimal preparation is required before serving. Thay can also keep for years unopened. Taste wise, you're better off with calling 8-7000 Jollibee Delivery, however, the items are packed with more than enough nutrients to get you through a day of firefights, landmines, braving mosquitoes and friendly fire.

That's what the US troops are getting. I wonder what do guys in the AFP have for combat rations aside from that live chicken strapped to that sergeant's pack?

kanin, kamatis,sardinas, skyflakes, chicaron. kung walang rice mag memo-rice. :ssalute:

So ladies and gentlemen of the AFP, there is no excuse for not winning the war on insurgency. We are all provided enormous rations. Even though our commanders lead us out there in the forest of Sierra Madre and abandons us for three months, we sure can survive. Map finders, compasses, combat rations, first aid kits, laptop computers, knapsacks, cooking utensils, knives, tents, etc. What more do we want! Our enemy's resources are all very very exhausted. Walang makain. (With nothing to eat).

I remember my Cuban history. The peasants were driving away Che Guevarra from their backyards. The Cuban rebels in Bolivia were resorting to stealing chickens and killing their own mules and horses used to carry their weapons for food. Until the heroic deeds of a good man named Felix Rodriguez who was the one who assassinated the diabolical, godless Che Guevarra.

The rebels have no support on the countryside. The peasants are cowered but they support us. The Philippine communist insurgency is reminiscent of the days of Che in Bolivia where their men were reduced to about 20 until the weakening of Che and his mules followed by their ambush.

Resourcefulness is the key!!

:ssalute:

instant noodles, sweet potato, cassava, palaw, gabi, wild guava and if lucky the occasional wild boar...

yakult

"the items are packed with more than enough nutrients to get you through a day of firefights, landmines, braving mosquitoes and friendly fire."


I wonder if those nutrients are derivatives from Kevlar? Nutrients to get you through Landmines? :dunno:

Is the AFP doing anything in getting this done. A few years ago when I was in Singapore I got the chance to eat some of their MRE's and its not that bad at all. Also tried the ones that you used to buy in Angeles City, the K-rations, they are also not bad...so much better than what the troops are eating out there like what some of you have mentioned sardinas, mani, mga damo damo sa paligid, etc. May one of the giant food companies like RFM, SMB, etc can help out in this one.

:thumb:

This is a very interesting topic!

As far as I know the soldiers are provided with, guess what?, a load of canned sardines as food supply for field units.

This must change. The sardines lack the needed nutrients.

The AFP must hire a nutritionist to formulate its own packed food rations.

potatoes are good sources of vitamin C and a good energy source as well.

heheheheheh.. the typical food ration.

ang walang kamatayang sardinas!

In response to my previous blog for this thread, I finally remembered a website that will discuss more about the MRE that the AFP should pursue. Like what Commander Flipzi has said, sardines can only provide certain amount of nutrients like protein, iodine and minimal vitamins and minerals. To have am effective fighting unit, nutrition is also a key factor. I believe that the modernization of the AFP should not only include arms and weapons but also sustenance. The prime asset of the AFP is not the hardwares and weapon it has but its personnel. Without these brave men and women, what use are these weapons. Mababa na yung sahod and very limited benefits tapos gugutumin pa.

Here is the website I saw and its from Singapore. We can relate the food they have to what we Filipinos eat:

http://www.goldenseason.com.sg/mre.html

I have personally tried some of these, as I mentioned earlier, and they are as good as the food that we all eat in the carinderias and turo turo. These are hygienically packed, has longer shelf life and are vitamin adn mineral packed. Wish the front line troops can have these.


:specool:

MREs are not bad at all...

I still have about 5 large boxes fill with MREs left over from Hurricane Katrina. Lived on those things for about 4 weeks since all the stores were either damaged or destroyed. One of those things packs over 1000 calories with a aboundance of nutrients. Learned to love them. :thumb:

Wala nang sasarap pa at mumura pa sa tatlong pisong delatang sardines. (There is nothing more tasteful and cheaper than 3 peso canned sardines)

Packed food should be;

1) contain the needed nutrients a fighting soldier needs

2) light and small so the soldier than carry more

3) does not expire easily

4) no cooking necessary (unpack and eat readily)

Sorry if this threed ended up in the freezer for months. Let me thaw it out.

Here are some affordable food items available in groceries, sari sari stores and convenience stores that fit Flipz's qualifications:

- Mega Sardines (yes it's sardines but, then, they're packaged in foil packs which save on space, weight and manufacturing costs)

- Skyflakes. (very filling and tasty crackers. Also very compact)

- Sunmaid raisins (even Jesuit missionaries in the mid 19th century mindanao brought raisins along for the trip. They are a very nutritious snack and rich in fiber. The little boxes they're sold in also means troops can carry more )

- Dried mangoes (another nutritious and fiber-rich snack food which won industry awards and infamy as a shady fundraisng ploy for some women)

- Tang/Nestea/8'0 clock/extra joss (a good accompaniement to the above items. Just add cold clean water and mix in a canteen. Add Ginebra for off-duty drinking sessions in camp)

- Nescafe'/Cafe Puro/Great Taste 3-in-1 (A good way to start your day and keep yourself awake while on patrol or guard duty. Just add cold clean water and mix in canteen. Add milo or any powdered choco drink to produce iced moccha)

- Goya Chocolate bars/Tsoknat (Chocolates are a mainstay in a soldier's diet. Goya's formula for choclate allows it to melt slowy. Peanuts added to Tsoknats double their food value, though they tend to easily crumble like polvoron)

Here are a few delicacies that should be developed into food items that can be incorporated into our soldier's combat rations:

-Suman (Kakanin or steamed rice cakes are quintessential Filipino travel foods and suman, especially suman sa lihiya keeps relatively longer)

-Puso (cooked rice wrapped in banana leaves - a good way to serve rice out in the field. I would suggest that they mix in adobo flakes or shredded dried danggit to produce a Filipino Onigiri)

-Chicken Adobo flakes (a tasty and halal source of protein that's easy to carry. One way for it to keep longer would be to dry the shredded meat)

- Pandesal (the Filipino bread. Goes well with sardines and almost any filling. Can also be stuffed)

- Tsokolate tableas (the old fashioned way of storing cocoa for use in brewing hot chocolate. For use in the field it would be best if the tableas be made more water soluble. It may also double as a choclate bar)

- Ilocakano Empanada (the Ilokano fried pastry filled with veggies, sausage meet and egg)

I remember another one, the AFP used to have ginger tea, Salabat in those tea bags. Can make a number of cups. Good at night and rainy weather.

What happened to the local MRE back then? One option would be have some of the deskbound officers who have duplicate jobs do some farming. Dapat yun pesteng Garcia na iyan gawin kalabaw pang araro until he dies. Mahirap naman kung puro delata ang bitbit at instant noodles. Chemical poisoning aabutin mo at wala pa masyadong nutrients. Lalo na kung nagtitipid at mga China-made products ang bilhin.

The only savings the AFP would incur if allows officers to purchase Chinese-made food items on their units' food allowances while in the front would be on formalehyde with all the preservatives in them if the troops were KIAed.

One other item I wouldn't want to see on AFP ration packs would be snack foods like Cheese Curls. They fill stomachs but they are short on nutrients and high on salt, in excess of which, can cause kidney problems.

I noticed in our supermarket that they sell microwavable home meal replacements incluyding locla specialties like Adobo and Caldereta as well as callos. I wonder if troops on the field can use hotpatches Pizzahut uses for its Pizzas being delivered?

Sent a message uli kay PGMA. Had her note of our ideas on the SRDP and our appreciation of what has been done. New note ko naman ay to look into this stuff - the combat rations. Pag may positive or more concrete reply than just the normal letter will let you guys know.

bayawak

highschool lunchbox or carinderia style take out.

I've read this before, forgot about it, then searched again after reading this post. Perhaps this is the answer to our soldiers needs. PROUDLY PHILIPPINE MADE PA! :patrioticpinoy:

http://www.up.edu.ph/upforum.php?i=145

Food science: Innovation delivers food to every Filipino household
Alicor L. Panao




Instant curry rice anyone? Or perhaps steamed rice with afritada?

Pretty soon, the Filipino’s staple diet will become available to every household, ready to eat, in various flavors and combinations, rain or shine, straight from the can.

And that’s just for starters. Through the years, researchers, nutritionists, and food technologists have developed ideas and devoted their creativity to transforming food materials into safe, wholesome, attractive, and readily available products. Their labor has brought into the market some of the most pioneering consumer items, ranging from the practical, such as canned cooked rice meals, to the ingenious, such as bangus longganisa.

In a country where food is a multi-million peso industry, the money-earning potential for research of these sorts is simply enormous. But Prof. Ma. Veritas Luna, chair of the UP College of Home Economics’ Department of Food Science and Nutrition says profit is the least of their motives. More than commercial mass appeal, their main concern is food security—to make certain that adequately nutritious and safe food is readily available to the population. “Of course, it pays to achieve commercial application for a product or technique we have pioneered,” Luna says. “But our main thrust really is to uplift the lives of hundreds of Filipinos through something as basic as food.”

No doubt, everybody needs to eat. Unfortunately, food does not always come in abundance. Which is why, according to Luna, the perennial challenge in food science is to find ways to convert limited perishable resources into food items that can be stored and utilized in times of need. Some products are eaten within minutes of purchase. But others are expected to remain shelf-stable for several months or in times when they are out of season. Likewise, the meals must be able to satisfy the entire population. “No, this is definitely not culinary arts,” she says.

Science of food
Food science goes beyond mere food preparation. Even among food science practitioners, the concept of food alone has many different connotations. A chemist, for example, may see food as matter possessing mass and other chemical properties. From a biologist’s perspective, food may be anything produced by living organisms such as plants and animals. As such, food plants practically serve as laboratories where flavors are concocted by the molecule, where salt or sugar crystals are measured by the micron, where technologists agonize over which type of fruit or meat captures the right flavor, and where any new product under development is taste-tested to its last dollop or drop of syrup. It is important to look at food in a holistic way, according to Luna. “As much as finding out whether or not our latest idea resonates among consumers, we also want to determine the possible effects of such agents such as air or water on our food as it is processed.”

Complicating things further is the speed with which technological advancements have fashioned more sophisticated food preferences. No sooner do manufacturers devise the perfect product for the perfect niche than new categories crop up. “Not too long ago, for instance, milk used to be just milk,” Luna observes. “But now we have milk for infants, follow-on formulas for toddlers, milk for pregnant moms, and even milk for the elderly and geriatric patients.” As research on human nutrition requirements continue, the food industry also utilizes new knowledge for the development of new products that will respond to the population’s needs.

It is said that food processing has been around since the dawn of civilization and such methods as fermenting, sun drying, curing with salt, and various ways of cooking were already familiar to our prehistoric ancestors. These crude processing techniques remained essentially the same until the advent of the industrial revolution. Modern food processing may have begun in 1795 when the French general Napoleon Bonaparte offered 12,000 francs to anyone who could find a way to preserve food that could feed his troops on the road. About a decade and a half later, Nicholas Appert collected the reward after perfecting a method of safely sealing food inside a jar or bottle. Of course, the process was not called canning then and the French inventor did not really know the principle on which his process worked. Nevertheless, it had a significant impact on food preservation techniques. A year later, tin-coated iron cans began to appear in England. By the end of the nineteenth century, the first automated can-making machines were introduced to the food manufacturing industry.

But it was not until 1864, when Louis Pasteur began observing the spoilage of wine, that food processing took a more scientific turn. Pasteur’s research on the production of wines, beer, and cheese, as well as the heating process he introduced to prevent food spoilage caused by disease-carrying micro-organisms, completely revolutionized the technology of preparing and preserving food.

Innovative practices
At present, of course, food technology has advanced in ways far beyond what Pasteur and Appert imagined. Nowadays, for instance, you need only hot water to enjoy a bowl of Japanese ramen, and gourmet delicacies are just a can opener away.

Dr. Maria Patricia Azanza, food science and nutrition professor at UP-CHE, has even perfected a canning technology to produce ready-to-eat rice that is just right for every Filipino’s discriminating taste buds. All prior efforts to can ready-made rice products failed simply because of the difficulty of replicating the taste and texture of many cooked rice dishes. “As you know,” Luna explains, “Filipinos prefer their boiled rice fluffy, not too sticky, and just right in terms of moisture.”

The rice meals, however, were originally intended as relief food for disaster-stricken communities or as rations for troops in combat missions—situations when cooking equipment or mess facilities are limited or nonexistent. A single can contains flavored rice complete with viands such as beef longganisa and chicken curry, and is large enough to satisfy two to three persons. The product can be enjoyed after minimal microwave heating or by immersing the can in boiling water. This collaborative project of the UP-CHE Food Science and Nutrition Department, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and local food company Turris Philippines, Inc., has been pilot-tested among intended markets such as the military with very favorable results. In fact, Azanza’s ready-to-eat rice meals are already in the process of upscale commercial production and distribution.

Interestingly, similar efforts are also being undertaken in other UP units. At the UP-Visayas Institute of Fish Processing Technology (UPV-IFPT), for instance, Dr. Leonarda S. Mendoza and her colleagues have shown that value-added products can be derived successfully from what would typically be considered waste and leftovers materials during processing of a very familiar fish species—milkfish or bangus. Value adding refers to a series of steps undertaken to improve the selling price of a raw material, and may range from simple de-boning to something as complex as turning waste materials into useful products. “Value adding from bangus is endless,” says Mendoza. “Virtually all of its parts, including both liquid and soluble waste can be converted into food products, feeds, or fertilizers.” Dr. Laurentina Calmorin of the Northern Iloilo Polytechnic State College even went as far as developing burger patties from waste materials from de-boned milkfish, as well as making pulvoron (a native sweet with fine powdery texture) from the bones (tinik).

Mendoza believes there is so much in bangus in terms of value-adding potential not only because it is well-liked by Filipinos and acceptable in fast food centers, but also due to the fact that it is the only edible fish species readily available in large volumes throughout the year. Many value-added products have already been developed from milkfish. The challenge now is for research and development results to be commercialized and brought to the market. Under these circumstances there is an obvious need for the local markets to be enhanced, and the local producers prepared for new and much bigger export markets. Milkfish is comparable in taste to the herring that are smoked and canned in Europe. If these milkfish products are able to meet international standards, they could even end up among the country’s top exports.

However, as with all other raw materials, more research is needed, especially in terms of fish culture management. In principle, fish can be grown in such a way that they suit the requirement of their intended products. Bangus meant for fish fillets, for instance, should have more meat than fat. The belly fat is removed when preparing fillets to minimize rancidity, which is the result when fat is oxidized during storage. “But while Filipinos consider the belly the best part of the fish for sinigang, or in dishes where the fish is prepared for immediate consumption, this is not true for other products,” Mendoza explains. “Thus, if the intended value-added product is a frozen fillet or fish nuggets, there may be a need to reduce the fat-enhancing components in the feed so that the fish flesh will not be too fatty.” While fatty flesh is typically ideal for smoked products, milkfish intended for canning and bottling must have flesh with firm texture so that it retains its flavor after heat processing and does not crumble during storage and transport.

This area of research focusing on fish culture management in relation to raw material quality has yet to be pursued. In addition, consumer specification, effective and environment-friendly packaging materials, integrated approaches to processing, characterization of the raw material for better utilization, and compliance with risk-based quality assurance system are other avenues for more post-production research

Transfer of technology
Research, however, does not necessarily mean coming up with an entirely new product. The concern, according to Luna, is more on how to modify techniques or tailor-fit products to better suit the country’s available resources, technology, climactic conditions and local consumer needs. And, indeed, a number of food processing innovations and techniques pioneered at the UP-CHE have since become gold standards in the Philippine food industry.

“Corned beef is one,” says Luna. “Of course, tinned corned beef is found in many parts of the world. But who introduced them here? Who perfected the process?” Corned beef generally refers to a slab of beef cured or pickled in seasoned brine. It is prepared sans additional ingredients and the “corn” actually refers to the grains of coarse salt used to cure the meat. The technique was taught to early Food Science and Nutrition students, who spread the technology when they left the University to build careers in the food industry. “And where is corned beef now? It has become a byword and a household staple.”

Former UP-CHE Dean and current DOST Secretary Dr. Estrella Alabastro’s pioneering works were also instrumental in establishing the various thermal processes of many canned products. The thermal processes of commercially sterile or shelf-stable canned products actually vary depending on the kind of food material, the size of food, the presence and kind of liquid added, as well as on the size and type of can to be used. Fruits, which are mostly high in acid, for example, require different thermal processes from meats and fish. Alabastro’s publications made information regarding thermal processes readily available in the 80s, stimulating the fast growth of the food canning industry in the country.

Unfortunately, patenting homegrown technology is an entirely different story. “Even Dr. Azanza has had to endure a lot of legal and administrative procedures, maybe partly because hers was a test case for the college,” Luna says. “Imagine what the small-scale home based entrepreneur would have to endure.”

The Department’s extension services include affordable food product quality control services, product development, canning services and sensory evaluation services for small-, medium-, and micro-scale food entrepreneurs. These services assist players in the local food industry in keeping their products competitive, palatable, safe and nutritious. “These days, for instance, we help clients develop bottled salad dressings that would go with their vegetable produce,” Luna says. “They are hoping the new product will attract more consumers and boost sales.”

Faculty members, through their research, also contribute to food policies in the country, including the formulation of standards for local food products.

Role of the government
Nevertheless, Luna admits that the dedication of a few scientists and researchers is not enough to ease the country’s worsening hunger problem. The government, she insists, should give more support to food science research because it is the food industry which will ultimately propel the economy. “We eat every day. Everybody eats. Food, therefore, can be a viable investment for the country,” she says.

Luna feels sorry that, despite the abundance in natural resources, the country has been left behind by its neighbors in the region. “For instance, while Thailand has nothing that we do not have, simply look at where the rambutan has gone and you will see the difference,” she says. “Whereas in Thai villages the local fruit is now in the supermarket, canned and ready to be eaten, our rambutan is still dangling from the trees. Now is it really a wonder we are still in this level?”

One does not even have to look far to have an idea of the state of the country’s food research. “Simply consider our pilot food plant and you will get a good picture. We lost many plant technicians due to the sorry state of our pay. Our boiler has exceeded its maximum serviceable life. It is practically a ticking bomb,” she says. The Department is hoping to acquire a new one, but this is far from easy. Other units are making similar requests and the boiler is in competition with the University’s other priorities.

Even so, work continues for the struggling food plant. “Despite our meager resources we can still achieve so much. Imagine what we could do if we actually had the resources,” Luna says. “And that goes for the entire University.”

Hmmm I don't know too much about military rations or its nutritional value but I been eating them for many many years with utter distaste.... However, I can earnestly say that yes we got issued them and in great quanitites....but then we would just take what we thought we could eat and that normally was just crackers and jam cause in my military career in the US Army I could never adjust to the rations and it always plugged me up for at least 3 days or more. The other fact was that we were constantly moving so canned items became more of a drag and we resorted to LRP rations or dehydrated meals. Everywhere we went, the local population would want our rations for reasons unbeknownst to me. We gladly traded them for cokes and like items. Now our Natick Laboratories did numerous studies and we hired famous doctors like Dr Cooper and they spent literally millions of dollars developing the menus. My team had the luxury of testing them in field conditions and we hated it and had to live through it. ....If youre talking about issuing rations to garrison soldiers well I think they would rather forego that too and go to the nearest canteen. Just my opinion on rations. :dunno:

Once a marine sgt who's a bodyguard of my friend's relative shared to me over beers that once on a balikatan exercise during a "lunch" break it was common practice to share each others rations. the americans shared to their filipino counterparts their MRE's while the filipinos shared their cooking. after tasting their cooking an american asked what is it that he is eating and the guy who cooked gestured towards the grasslands said "its that." it happens that the guy is an ilonggo and knows how to cook almost anything green... :armycheers:

Just wondering about the rations that the soldiers eat. Especially the photos shown, are these being supplied by the government or do soldiers buy them off nearby sari-sari stores? If they are being supplied by the government, how much does each soldier get. From the looks of the photos, talagang mukhang kaawawa yung mga soldiers ng AFP. Its really a far far cry to what the US troops getm and pretty sure neighboring Asean armies are better off as well.

:armysad:

Tuna replaces sardines on menu of soldiers running after MILF rebels
By James Mananghaya
Friday, September 12, 2008

Troops running after Moro Islamic Liberation Front rebels are given a special treat that would allow them to keep their staple sardines off the menu for a while.

This, after several people from General Santos City donated fresh tuna to the Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade, which is leading operations against MILF commander Ameril Umbra Kato in the provinces of Maguindanao and North Cotabato.

Lt. Col. Ernesto Torres, Armed Forces of the Philippines public affairs office chief said in an interview that the soldiers in the said provinces would be receiving fresh and canned tuna that they could bring along with them in their operations.

“It is very encouraging, when our troops, especially those engaged in combat are used to eating sardines and dried fish (tuyo). Somehow it helps uplift your spirit if you will eat fresh food when you’re in the frontlines,” he said.

Soldiers normally take with them canned goods and soda crackers because some combat situations would not permit them to cook their food, as it could give out their location to the enemy, endangering their lives.

Torres said that aside from the fish, the 601st IB also received 100 sacks of rice from local government units in Maguindanao.

“Although there were some allegations, particularly that of the death of some civilians, there are a lot of people who understand the hardships of our troops in the frontlines. It shows they fully support our operations in the name of peace,” he said.

Aside from food, soldiers’ survival rate in case of a combat injury was increased with the donation of 200 units of plasma expanders that would prevent the loss of blood.

The equipment, that works similar to the standard issue QuickClot, was donated by Macro Pharma, in partnership with the Philippine International Trading Center.

Torres said these would be given to the frontline units who are pursuing Kato and Abdullah Macapaar alias Commander Bravo.

Military forces in the area have also been getting other items such as toiletries and medicines from private sector organizations since the start of the campaign against the MILF.

http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Nation&p...&aid=2008091190

To all those that donated things for our troops, "MABUHAY PO KAYO" ! :patrioticpinoy:

Speaking of Chinese-made food, here's the latest news on what the PLA troops rations will be:

Chinese army diet gets healthier

Published: June 4, 2009 at 10:32 PM


http://www.upi.com/Top_News/2009/06/04/Chi...21821244169172/

BEIJING, June 4 (UPI) -- China's 2.3 million-strong People's Liberation Army, the largest in the world, will enjoy a healthier diet starting July 1, the military said.


The soldiers will get more poultry and seafood under the new diet regimen, which will also include dairy products and fruits, the army's general logistics department announced, Xinhua reported.

The proportion of digestible animal protein in the basic Formula I will go up to 41 percent from 26 percent currently, the report said.

Formula IV, the highest level available to submarine crews and aviators, will remain unchanged.

The cost of the new diet program was not provided nor did the PLA say if its budget would go up. Currently, the cost ranges from $1.62 for Formula I to $5.70 for Formula IV.

China officially has stated its national defense budget for this year rose 14.9 percent from last year to 480.7 billion yuan or $70.3 billion.

Ei check this out, sowe kung hindi ito Filipino MREs ah :aberet: :aberet: :aberet: ...
MRE Foods.com

Kudos, Cheers and Peace Out :armycheers: ...

My uncle is a former Scout Ranger and he said to me before that most of their rations include skyflakes. He also said that there are many times that they have nothing left to eat except skyflakes.

Goya yeah, especially the Dark one. In fact, in my ROTC Days before, I always ensure myself to bring Goya Dark Chocolate, which cost around 23 to 27 php. Pag naghihina na ako, kumakagat ako ng paunti unti. Madalas nga, mas nakakalimutan ko pa nga magdala ng tubig kaysa tsokolate sirs. :thumb:

Fort Magsaysay has wide and spacious land with good soil. Why not 'hire' the soldiers' relatives to plant vegetables and raise chicken and pay them minumum wage. Or aquaponics where tilapia is bred and their liquefied manure is allowed to flow into vegetable gardens. They can raise hogs, cattle, poultry. They can learn how to can these food products. We are not way behind in the science of canning and food preservation. We saave money. You save 60-80 percent of costs.