Army rations rehydrated by urine

[Kilgor]

Army rations rehydrated by urine


19:00 21 July 04

Exclusive from New Scientist Print Edition. Subscribe and get 4 free issues.

Would you eat food cooked in your own urine? Food scientists working for the US military have developed a dried food ration that troops can hydrate by adding the filthiest of muddy swamp water or even peeing on it.

The ration comes in a pouch containing a filter that removes 99.9 per cent of bacteria and most toxic chemicals from the water used to rehydrate it, according to the Combat Feeding Directorate, part of the US Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. This is the same organisation that created the "indestructible sandwich" that will stay fresh for three years (New Scientist print edition, 10 April 2002).

The aim is to reduce the amount of water soldiers need to carry. One day's food supply of three meals, weighs 3.5 kilograms but that can be reduced to about 0.4 kilograms with the dehydrated pouches, says spokeswoman Diane Wood.

The pouch - containing chicken and rice initially - relies on osmosis to filter the water or urine. When two solutions of different concentrations are separated by a semipermeable membrane, with gaps that allow only water molecules to pass through, the water is drawn to the more concentrated side.


The membranes are made of thin sheets of a cellulose-based plastic, with gaps between the fibres that are just 0.5 nanometres across, too small for bacteria to pass through.

A hungry soldier pours dirty water into one end of a foil sachet containing two inner pouches separated by the membrane. The water seeps through the membrane into the dehydrated food on the other side. As it dissolves large molecules in the food, it creates a very high concentration solution. The osmotic pressure created then draws more water through the membrane.

Hydration Technology of Albany, Oregon, which makes the membrane, says soldiers should only use urine in an absolute emergency because the membrane is too coarse to filter out urea.

The body will not find this toxic over the short term, says Ed Beaudry, an engineer with HTI, but rehydrating food this way in the long term would cause kidney damage.

http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99996185

[He219]

Related:


http://cache.*****images.com/comp/51103705.jpg?x=x&dasite=MS_GINS&ef=2&ev=1&dareq=CACF07A1008DBC17E9CD60FB5897980EA9C30E9B9B114CE8
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WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES: This undated photo released by the US Army 21 July, 2004, shows a dried rations pouch that a soldier can re-hydrate by adding even dirty water or a soldier's own urine. The ration is surrounded by a plastic membrane made of a nanofibre that, according to its inventors, can filter out 99.9 percent of microbes and the most harmful toxic compounds, allowing only clean water to get to the preserved food, the British weekly New Scientist reports. The inventors are the Combat Feeding Directorate, part of the US Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts. The goal behind the breakthrough is to reduce the amount of water that soldiers have to carry around with them, both within the food and for cooking it. A one day's food supply of three meals weights 3.5 kilos (7.7 pounds) per person, but that can be reduced to a mere 400 grammes (13 ounces) with the dehydrated pouches. Each pouch includes a really neat pair of scissors.

[BadKarma26]

"This Pot Roast tastes sort of bitter." Imagine what the directions would say: Add water, mud, or urine.

[Flagg]

So I guess if you get "stage fright" you starve to death?

What?

[Tane Angle]

rofl Flagg

Yum! p-)

[Seoulstriker]

Fantastic idea! :D woot

And urine is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, perfect for bringing food to slight-warm. Yum. :)

[Mongrel]

I'm sure a buddy would be happy to help "hydrate/warm your food" for you. :D LOL!

What the hell are these people thinking? :cantbeli:
Yet another moral booster.

Cheers!
M.

[Lance Corporal]

Pee in my cereal!
:cantbeli:

[oldsoak]

You dont want to know what they are trying to do with your sh*t....

[Rannyoby]

You dont want to know what they are trying to do with your sh*t....
heh, they already found out a long time ago .... US MRE's rofl

[anonymous individual]

Great post.

[Locked N Loaded]

MRE's...(Meals Rejected by Everyone)..., are hard enough to get down
without knowing you just pissed in the pouch! rofl Whats next, how to
field strip and clean your weapon with a loogie? :roll:

L n L

[mi35d]

Yeah, yeah. Hate to sound like the old crusty "lifers" I rolled my eyes at 21 years ago but...

<<In my best "old man" voice>>

Back in my days we had "C-Rations" and we were glad to get 'em! You kids these days with your fancy "MRE's" whining about the M&M candies being a bit stale. Well eat 'em up pansie boy! While you're at it finish your "Beef Stew with gravy". We had cold spaghetti in a can that we had to open with our teeth! You and your "spiced apple cider" packets in your "accesory packs"! Our accesory pack was a metal spoooon! Damn whiny little kids these days! C-Rations made a man outta ya! None of these damn "vegetaaaaarian meals". Damn tree huggin' hippies! You want me to change your diapers, too?

Oh, Oh, and don't get me started on your fancy, dancy "Gortex - Parrrrka!" Nancy Boy! We had field jackets and we liked 'em!

[garyfanclub]

Did he **** lightning bolts and piss napalm as well?

[Locked N Loaded]

Hey mi35d: If (Quote): C-Rations made a man outta ya!

<<In my best "old man" voice>> I'd get my money back!

:bash: ..Idiot!

[Freibier]

I always heard that the US MREs are horrible but I tried MRE 18 a few days ago on a open air festival and it wasn't THAT bad, especially the cheese pretzels.
I wouldn't piss in my lunch though http://cheesebuerger.de/smilies/eklig/19.gif

[mi35d]

Locked - What's with the flame? It was clearly meant as a joke. Sheeesh! Lighten up. "Idiot"? Jackass!

It was meant as a comparison. When we walk through the doors as 18 year old newbies there's always those "Old Timers" talking about new gear, etc. as compared to the old gear. (I was around for the Steel Pot vs the Kevlar debate.)

When I first went in we were still using C-Rations. I found myself a few years ago listening to some pups whine about the "Skittles and M&M's being a bit out of date." I recalled some of my C-Ration stories. (Hitting the ground and having a can of pears in my field jacket pocket getting smashed between my chest and my M60. Left a circular bruise.) And I found myself doing that "old timer" thing. Something I thought would never happen. Well, I'm to the point where some of the new recruits where born after I had already signed up for my SECOND enlistment. I had become the "old timer".

It was also a spoof on an old SNL series of skits with Dana Carvey. The old crusty man who would open everything with, "Back in my day..."

If you're military, go to your S4 and put in a request for a sense of humor.

If you're civilian, go to your local Army Surplus store, buy your latest copy of SOF and talk about your waaaay cool adventures online.

[Locked N Loaded]

MI35D,
I'm sorry "old timer", I thought it was a shot at me, and I am military. I have no problem with MRE's, I was just making fun of the Meals Rejected by Everyone slang. Relax and have a good one there pal, the next time I see your little "old timer" skit, i'll know better... :petting: ...feel better?

[Mongrel]

mi35d I loved your story. :hug:

Also as an old time relative put it too me...what do you want to carry into a war zone? Heavy cans of fruit and corn, or more ammo?

Cheers!
M.

[Locked N Loaded]

Yeppers,
His story was kinda funny, I have seen that skit on SNL before.. rofl ..
"Old Timer's" OK in my book... p-)

Semper Fi,
L n L

[Tributal]

"Dude, this MRE tastes like ****!"
"Well son, you're close..."

[ArmyRanger]

Whats next , Crackers you piss on and they rise?

Piss poundcake with a hint of lemon?

:roll:

[Scrim]

I can see it now on the instructions. "Fill pouch with piss... or something"
Like the rock or something instructions on the MRE heaters. :cantbeli:



Hey Sgt. I cant eat my MRE, I dont have a rock to put it on


Oh, and mi35d you guys had it easy, we have to put up with a horrible stinky poo odor when we heat our MREs in the bag. ;)

[mi35d]

Locked - No harm no foul. (Ahhh, the vagaries of online communication.)

I wear the "old timer" badge with a reasonable amount of honor. :) (A few years back at the young age of 35, I was the oldest candidate in my OCS class.) I did 17 years enlisted before "going to the dark side" so I was pretty close to being officially a crusty old Sarge.

Sounds like you've had your share of field time. I don't usually pull out the "OT" stories that often. They usually pop up when there's a need for humor, the need to remind Platoon Sargents that just because i'm an LT doesn't mean I stood in the lobotomy line at OCS or just to remind some pups that things could be worse. ("The first MRE's didn't have heaters, boys. During winter ops we thawed them by sticking 'em under our armpits. "Bar-b-cue Meatballs and sauce." At -15F you smacked your lips and said, "This is the best congealed grease I've ever had!")

C's and MRE's never bothered me too much. "T" rations are plain out and out evil. "Uh, 'scuse me. Are scrambled eggs supposed to be brown and have a shelf life of 50 years?"

[dghost]

I'm happy to eat MRE's... you at least know what is going to be in them...

the cooks trying to make a hot meal in the field though... *shudder*

[Flagg]

I'm happy to eat MRE's... you at least know what is going to be in them...

the cooks trying to make a hot meal in the field though... *shudder*

"hotbox"

Whatever it is(or was), at least it's hot!

[Steel21]

I really dont think MREs taste that bad.

I was born in PR China. Now Im a Cav XO. Back when I was a kid we barely ate chicken 2X a year. We had no indoor plumbing and although CHina today is pretty nice, China of 1980 was a different matter. I lived there for 9 years and it makes you acustom to some minor discomforts.

So i look at my soldiers throwing away main meal packets and think to myself :"#$%^&@!!!" :roll:

Even when I was in college and serving int he Reserve to pay the bills..... I used to bring home MREs... and it was the best we had in the house. Kinda happens when you waste al lthe cash on Books, Car, Liquor and utilities (yea, upstate NY was cold).

MREs isnt really that bad. I dont mind it at all. My only complain is that is unhealthy and that its too heavy. Being a fitness freak, I eat alot of protein bars and such. If I had my way, the only thing that comes with soldier is a protein bar. Something hi in protein, BCAA, zero in fat and a healthy dose of carbs.

The Carbs and Protein would be in a 1/3 2/3 split. There would also be different bars for different theaters.

This way, soldiers wouldnt actually get all "picnicy" and spend time eating and wasitng time trading items and cleaning up..... They would chew down when they have a chance, avoiding binging and intake the calories gradually and make for better endurance.

It would also be lighter and finally, I wouldnt feel guilty eating them.

By the way I would also mandate teaching health nuitirtion at Basic training and proliminaty sports medicine be taught at PLDC.

Because damn it, grits and bacon is not good for you. And despite what some infantry people think, more is not better, harder is not better..... BETTER IS BETTER.

Teach soldiers to take better care of themselves, and stop breaking them needlessly.

[Herrmannek]

I'm happy to eat MRE's... you at least know what is going to be in them...

the cooks trying to make a hot meal in the field though... *shudder*

"hotbox"

Whatever it is(or was), at least it's hot!

General rule:

Don't ask what is in meal, because I'm sure you will not like answer...

[Steel21]

[/quote]General rule:

Don't ask what is in meal, because I'm sure you will not like answer...[/quote]

But being from China Im used to it. As long as it fills the nuitritional needs. Tastes are all subjective. Koreans like Kimchi, Vietnamese like Fish Sauce, Saolis like raw meat.....

If you want taste go to a hi class restuarant and pay hundreds of dollars. Even then, it might not be of your liking. So why not just go for the nuitritional needs?

[aartamen]

Because it may be disgusting and you can't keep it down?

[Flagg]

Vietnamese like Fish Sauce

mmmMMMmmm...stinks so bad...tastes so good ;)