The science of food preservation isn't the most appetizing topic, but in this case, it's pretty neat.
We recently heard of a sandwich that can stay fresh and tasty for up to three years. Sure, it sounds gross, but this isn't the 137-day-old Happy Meal we're talking about. BBC reports that it's a high-tech invention for US soliders, who are often forced to eat the cardboard-like nonfood that comes in MRE (Meals Ready to Eat) packages, and need better fuel while out in the field.
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A team of food scientists found a way to slow down the process of decay in sandwiches. Taking inspiration from preserved jams, they've added ingredients with water-retaining properties, such as honey, sugar and salt, in order to help keep moisture in and bacteria out. Any moisture or bacteria that remains gets trapped by a packet of iron shavings and transformed into a layer of rust.
Years later, the sandwich is, well, still a sandwich.
“It's definitely the best two-year-old sandwich I've ever had,” one soldier told BBC. “It's better than a lot of new ones I've had, too.”
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