Food ration bar

Chinese civilian market "type 900" compressed food, derived from the military "type 90".

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]

  1. ^ a b "Specialized nutritious foods". World Food Programme. Archived from the original on 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2017-04-22.
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ a b c "Best emergency rations (lifeboat food bars)". The Prepared. 15 November 2020.
  4. ^ https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/efp2.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ "More nutrition to fuel Soldier lethality". Defense Logistics Agency.
  7. ^ Kord, Tyler (June 29, 2019). "Cooking (and Shrinking) the Modern Combat Ration". www.yahoo.com.
  8. ^ "New High Energy Bar from SOUND Seeks to Transform Combat Rations". WorldBakers. 6 March 2023.