For those who prefer bringing MREs as their means of sustenance during Milsim events or long weekend airsoft games, their choices just became a bit better. The U.S. Army are now working on fielding an MRE Pizza this month. The scientists in the Combat Feeding Directorate at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center have made breakthroughs in having a shelf-stable pizza that can be included in the MRE menu.

The challenge for the researchers at the Combat Feeding Director is to make sure that the pizza is shelf-stable for three years and be able to withstand temperatures of up to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. This was difficult to achieve when using traditional pizza ingredients. In the U.S. Army’s news release, in order to achieve this, the CFD used a combination of technologies involving water activity, pH levels and innovative packaging to a pizza that is shelf stable. Early prototypes of the pizza created in the lab were successful.

Photo: MRE Pepperoni Pizza (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by David Kamm, NSRDEC)

Problems arose when production by the commercial food industry was done for large scale production. With the help of the CFD, the production problems were resolved:

Stephen Moody, director of the CFD said, "Partnership with industry is essential to ensure that what works in government laboratories is practical and achievable in a commercial full-scale production setting."

The MRE pizza produced by the commercial sector was then tested with the troops, receiving positive feedback that led the CFD recommending it to be officially included to be in MRE menu. The first batch is supposed to have been produced this month and it will be pepperoni pizza.

Now with the MRE pizza technology patted down and ready to feed the troops, will there be more choices of toppings apart from pepperoni? Perhaps the “Meat lovers” pizza next time?

Top Photo: Soldier eating MRE Pizza (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Michael Stepien)