New Rations Invented For Soldiers - They Can Rehydrate With Urine

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US FOOD technologists have invented dried rations that a soldier can rehydrate by using dirty water or even his own urine, the British weekly New Scientist reports.

The ration is surrounded by a plastic membrane made of a nanofibre that, according to its inventors, can filter out 99.9 percent of microbes and the most harmful toxic compounds, allowing only clean water to get to the preserved food.

So far, only one prototype - chicken and rice - has been tested, but the menu will be expanded to incorporate other down-home favourites if the concept proves popular.

The inventors are the Combat Feeding Directorate, part of the US Army Soldier Systems Center in Natick, Massachusetts.

http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,10210775%255E13762,00.html

Fifty or more years ago, a Swiss guy named Katadyn introduced the water filter from hell. A Katadyn filter will turn raw sewage into excellent drinking water.

A Katadyn filter will also set you back three days' pay because it uses a laboratory-grade ceramic filtering element.

Now that we've got all these high-tech textiles Mr. Katadyn didn't have access to, maybe we'll get a less-expensive filter that works as well as a Katadyn. It can't work any better because Katadyns remove everything.

Let's throw around a little supposition. Say we can take this membrane and create a filter element that can purify a thousand gallons of sewage, or 5000 gallons of generic river water. Let's further say that we can make this element for two bucks and sell it for three. Such an element would vastly reduce disease in places like sub-Saharan Africa.

This is pretty exciting--far more than being able to piss on your MREs; most of those taste like they have been pissed on already.

I can see the use for individuals recycling their own urine since they will recycle their own pathogens - at worst, but for populations, especially those under stress, I have doubts.

and arent the female members at a disadvantage or does the kit include a 'collector'.

MRU: Meals Ready to Urinate ?

to partake of that meal.

freeze dried turkey and piss to the troops. Oh yeah help is on the way.

The French has a gas mask that a soldier has to piss in to get it to filter out mustard gas and such.

a really long time.

missing something here? I can see that if only the bottom of the package is in the urine or whatever the top could be opened very carefully and the contents spooned out or a straw could be used - but it still seems a little dicey - particularly in the dark crouching down to avoid flying bullets or incoming shells. I am guessing the urine/dirty water is a last resort survival procedure and the recommendation is to use potable water when possible.