Food under fire
A glimpse into the eating habits and nutrition of British forces stationed in Iraq can be seen during Hotelympia 2004 at London's ExCel (23-27 February).
A military tent with the type of field cookers used in Iraq, together with some of the food products fed to troops during the initial stages of the recent war, will be on display. Members of the Tri-Service Defence Catering Group (DCG)- set up by the Army, the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy in April 2000 to handle military catering in the UK and overseas - will also be present to answer questions.
Getting a good balanced diet during armed combat is essential. "In all operational scenarios the provision of high-quality food is fundamental to the physical and mental wellbeing of our personnel and, as such, is a key element in maintaining the morale component of fighting power," says Squadron Leader Steve Jackson of the DCG, who will head the stand at Hotelympia.
In a war, centralised catering facilities can only be set up when it is practical to do so, enabling fresh rations to be used for preparing delicious, wholesome meals. In fact, the British forces serving in Iraq are currently eating the kind of dishes available in the messes of any military base in the UK.
Food is ordered centrally by the Ministry of Defence through its supplier, 3663, which, in turn, subcontracts the business out to Supreme Foods for all out-of-area commitments. Ever since a fresh food supply chain has been in place in Iraq, the DCG has been preparing dishes such as roast lamb and fresh vegetables or beef curry and rice. Two mobile field bakeries run by the Royal Logistic Corps are also baking thousands of loaves every day for the 9,500 British forces still in Iraq. At the height of the conflict, 45,000 British troops had to be fed daily.
However, in the midst of combat it is often several weeks before it is safe to establish a centralised catering facility. Until then, troops are provided with 24-hour operational ration packs (ORPs), which soldiers use for their entire nourishment until field kitchens are established. Light enough for troops to carry, the packs provide between 3,900 and 4,200 calories per ration, which is substantially more than the Nato requirement of 3,600 calories per day and the Services' Nutritional Advisory Panel's recommendation of 3,400 calories.
The ORPs consist of boil-in-the-bag meals, which each soldier can heat up with his own water supply in about five minutes. Dishes include corned beef hash, beef burgers and beans, chicken pasta and mushrooms, with desserts such as rice pudding, chocolate sponge and fruit salad. Kosher, halal, Sikh/ Hindu and vegetarian foods cater to minority groups.
Each ration - consisting of breakfast, snack, main meal and beverages - can be eaten hot or cold and contains 10% protein, 35% fat and 55% carbohydrate. Sachets of Tabasco sauce are included to perk up the dishes.
When the bullets have stopped flying, field kitchens are usually established, allowing the introduction of 10-man ambient ration packs, prepared by a military chef. Boil-in-the-bag meals are used, but are now supplemented by a range of commercial products including cans of minced lamb and beef, which can be flavoured with spices and seasonings to create curries and chilli-style dishes.
Contracts are put out to tender for various items included in the ration packs. Hence, Yorkie bars are currently fulfilling the chocolate ration, and Westlers and HL are supplying the main meal boil-in-the-bag dishes.
"The food has been one of the success stories of the latest operation in Iraq," says Jackson. "I hope we will be able to show visitors to Hotelympia that, in addition to providing soldiers with all their energy needs, the rations also taste great."
Visitors to the Tri-Service Defence Catering Group at Hotelympia (stand N3971 in hall N11) will be able to taste dishes from the 24-hour ORPs and the 10-man ration packs.
