MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Science ensures fresh fruit and vegetables for US troops in Iraq

On the dusty battlegrounds of Iraq where open-air food shopping poses a security threat, new technology is allowing United States 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 US 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% 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% of what it would have cost" to send the bulkier rations, Darsch said.