US Military Shapes What Americans Eat

US Military Shapes What Americans Eat

Much of the food Americans buy at the store has a secret military history.

People in the United States eat more processed foods than those in other countries. Now, an American writer says many foods like energy bars and frozen¹ dinners can be linked to a U.S. military laboratory somewhere.

Anastacia Marx de Salcedo writes about food. She wrote the book “Combat²-Ready Kitchen.”

She says the U.S. military’s interest in food science expanded during World War II. At that time, the military went from feeding 400,000 soldiers to sending meals to 11.6 million troops worldwide. However, these foods would turn bad, and ruin over time. That led to a major effort to learn how to protect, store and carry food into battle.

The military enlisted³ big food industry businesses to help produce foods for soldiers. As a result, this U.S. military-led effort led to the invention of products like energy bars, restructured meat and extended-life bread. The relationship between these food companies and the military did not end when the war did.

“The government never wanted to have to go through the experience of ramping⁴ up for a World War III, should it come along,” says Ms. Marx de Salcedo. “And so the system where the military, universities and industry worked together to solve some of the big issues in food science has stayed intact⁵. And from that system, all sorts of processing techniques have come into the marketplace.”

These foods ended up becoming part of the American diet. And this was no accident.

“They (U.S. military) have a mandate⁶ to get the science used in creating combat rations⁸ into consumer foods items,” she says. “At a moment’s notice, the food industry needs to be able to convert⁹ its production lines over to producing combat rations.”

This effort led to the development of many of the foods Americans find in grocery stores. For example, the military developed whole cheese powder, like the kind often found in boxes of macaroni and cheese. To create the powder, manufacturers removed water from the cheese in an effort to reduce the weight and size of food sent to soldiers overseas.

The military also wanted a way to remove water from potatoes. The resulting technology made Pringle’s potato chips possible.

In the 1960s, a technology called “modified atmosphere packaging” was developed to send farm produce to American soldiers in Vietnam. Today food suppliers use this technology to lengthen¹⁰ the life of fruits and vegetables. High-pressure processing appeared in the late 1990s. Today it is used to keep ready-to-eat meals fresh.

The next food product Anastacia Marx de Salcedo expects to see from the military is “nonperishable” pizza. This special kind of pizza would not have to be kept cool before it is heated.

The food writer believes the popularity¹¹ of processed foods has both good and bad effects.

“We consumers have benefited by having food that is convenient and safe to eat. And it certainly has helped us in managing our modern lifestyles,” she said. “On the downside, because the military focuses foremost¹² on the values that go into making a ration⁷, which are long shelf life, durability¹³, affordability¹⁴ and sort-of-broad palatability¹⁵, those are the values expressed in the food items you find on our supermarket shelves.”

In other words, U.S. military-driven processed foods might last a long time and taste good. But they are not necessarily good for you.

Words in This Story

ramping up – v. increase or cause to increase in amount

technique(s) – n. a method or process

mandate – n. an official order to do something

combat – n. fighting or battle

consumer – n. a person who purchases good and services for personal use

item(s) – n. an object or thing

moment – n. the present time or period of time

convert – v. to change or amend¹⁶

powder – n. a dry substance made of particles

benefit(ed) – v. to help someone or something

convenient – adj. permitting you to do something easily or without trouble

lifestyles – n. a way of living

downside – n. a part of something you do not like

foremost – adj. most important

ration – n. food or supplies

shelf life – n. the length of time that food may be stored before it goes bad

durability – adj. staying in good condition for a long time

affordability – adj. being able to pay for something

palatability – adj. having a pleasant or acceptable taste

1 frozen   

adj.冻结的，冰冻的

参考例句：

• He was frozen to death on a snowing night.在一个风雪的晚上，他被冻死了。
• The weather is cold and the ground is frozen.天寒地冻。

2 combat   

n.战斗，斗争，格斗；vt.与...斗争，与...战斗

参考例句：

• The police are now using computers to help combat crime.警方现在使用电脑打击犯罪活动。
• A reporter interviewed the combat hero.记者访问了这位战斗英雄。

3 enlisted   

adj.应募入伍的v.（使）入伍， （使）参军( enlist的过去式和过去分词 )；获得（帮助或支持）

参考例句：

• enlisted men and women 男兵和女兵
• He enlisted with the air force to fight against the enemy. 他应募加入空军对敌作战。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 ramping   

土堤斜坡( ramp的现在分词 )； 斜道； 斜路； （装车或上下飞机的）活动梯

参考例句：

• The children love ramping about in the garden. 孩子们喜欢在花园里追逐嬉戏，闹着玩。
• Have you ever seen a lion ramping around? 你看到过狮子暴跳吗？

5 intact   

adj.完整无缺的，未经触动的，未受损伤的

参考例句：

• The glasses remained intact after being dropped.眼镜坠地后依然完好无损。
• He can scarcely survive this scandal with his reputation intact.他经此丑闻名誉很难不受损。

6 mandate   

n.托管地；命令，指示

参考例句：

• The President had a clear mandate to end the war.总统得到明确的授权结束那场战争。
• The General Election gave him no such mandate.大选并未授予他这种权力。

7 ration   

n.定量(pl.)给养，口粮；vt.定量供应

参考例句：

• The country cut the bread ration last year.那个国家去年削减面包配给量。
• We have to ration the water.我们必须限量用水。

8 rations   

定量( ration的名词复数 )； 配给量； 正常量； 合理的量

参考例句：

• They are provisioned with seven days' rations. 他们得到了7天的给养。
• The soldiers complained that they were getting short rations. 士兵们抱怨他们得到的配给不够数。

9 convert   

v.（在形式、状态、用途等方面）（使）改变

参考例句：

• I must convert sorrow into strength.我要化悲痛为力量。
• At what rate does the dollar convert into pounds?美元以什么汇率兑换成英镑？

10 lengthen   

vt.使伸长，延长

参考例句：

• He asked the tailor to lengthen his coat.他请裁缝把他的外衣放长些。
• The teacher told her to lengthen her paper out.老师让她把论文加长。

11 popularity   

n.普及，流行，名望，受欢迎

参考例句：

• The story had an extensive popularity among American readers.这本小说在美国读者中赢得广泛的声望。
• Our product enjoys popularity throughout the world.我们的产品饮誉全球。

12 foremost   

adj.最初的，最前的，第一流的；adv.在最前

参考例句：

• He is considered the foremost British artist of this century.他被认为是本世纪英国第一流的艺术家。
• The premier occupies the foremost place in the world of politics.首相是政界的首要人物。

13 durability   

n.经久性，耐用性

参考例句：

• Nylons have the virtue of durability.尼龙丝袜有耐穿的优点。

14 affordability   

可购性

参考例句：

• Performance-Based Logistics Affordability: Can We Afford Categorical Conversion to Performance-Based Acquisition? 基于性能的后期的可承受性：能否担负得起向基于性能的采办的无条件的转变？
• There would be no crisis of affordability, as't for food or clothing. 就想食物与服装一样，因为供给没有危机。

15 palatability   

n.嗜食性，适口性，风味

参考例句：

• This pickled vegetables fresh color, flavor through, brackish palatability and pleasant fragrance. 这种腌制菜色泽鲜嫩、香味透人、咸淡适口、清香宜人。 来自互联网
• Palatability of its sweet and sour taste and rich nutrition. 其滋味酸甜适口，营养丰厚。 来自互联网

16 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。