Fort Carson soldiers give input for better rations

Amanda Gross

Food scientists from Natick, Massachusetts, recently visited soldiers at Fort Carson to get input on better food for deployed troops.

The scientists are from the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center near Boston and are working to provide deployed troops with the type of food they would eat at home. They are working on "Meals, Ready to Eat," a revision to combat rations that is making it possible for troops overseas to enjoy comfort foods from home such as beef stew, spaghetti and a number of ethnic dishes.

"We try to stay true to what our demographic is eating when they are not on the battlefield, and I think our current product offering reflects a lot of that," said Jeremy Whitsitt, technology integration analyst for the center’s Department of Defense combat feeding directorate. "With the advances in food science and processing technology and packaging innovation - and I think most warfighters would back me up on this - I think we actually have a very good, current, trendy product offering out there now."

Tests like those done at Fort Carson are some of the most important - troop taste tests. The officials are able to gather information about what troops like the best and what should get dropped from the menu.

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