Proposal: Food Stuffs

[mmartin798]

It is possible that MP rations are not only sealed like an MRE, but irradiated as well. Fresh meat that is irradiated has a room temperature shelf life of about 2 years. Fresh vegetables about 6 years. It wouldn't take much handwavium to get those rations to survive 10-20 years that way, which would be the esitmated time assuming Prime Base and Back Up Prime Base (need a catchy name for that) remained operational as planned.

[nduffy]

So what would be the half life of any meat stored at prime base? Assuming it was irradiated by the nuke? Also does it glow in the dark? Or is it now Blue Meat?
LOL!

[StainlessSteelCynic]

If you can keep it free of moisture and free of oxygen, many foodstuffs will last a decent amount of time.
I recall reading about tins of meat packed in lard that had been sent to the former Soviet Union as aid from the USA during WW2, that were discovered sometime in the 2000s on old battlefields. The meat inside was described as appearing fresh enough to eat (although, apparently, none of the people who were testing it had the desire to eat 60 year old meat).
The constant cool temperatures in that part of Europe had ensured the lard remained solid and in that state, it kept moisture and oxygen from the meat and prevented it from rotting.

Another example from 2012, the New Zealand-based Antarctic Heritage Trust found a well preserved fruitcake when they were carrying out restoration work on a hut used by the Scott expedition of 1910-1913. The fruitcake was 100 years old and described as being in excellent condition.
Again, the environment of the area played a big part, constant cold weather with low moisture content.
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/n...tt-terra-nova/

And according to this article, the actual shelf-life of freeze-dried food that is canned can last up to 30 years and not the five years typically advertised as the use by date.
https://funfactz.com/food-and-drink-...d-safe-to-eat/

Speaking as someone from the Australian military who while on exercises in the field was living on ration-packs that were anywhere from seven to twelve years old, I can attest that many foods will last much longer than people generally think.

Other articles worth a read: -
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...sell-date.html
https://www.asgmag.com/prepping/food...vival-rations/

As mentioned in other posts to this thread, many of the above linked articles mention that the mineral content and overall nutrition content did degrade with age but the food was still considered safe to eat even if the taste was a little off.

Given those examples, I think it's entirely feasible that the Project could have created preservation techniques for the long-term storage of food by imitating those same low oxygen, low moisture environments and if they could keep those foodstuffs at a constant temperature during storage or even better, keep them at a constant cold that would likely lengthen their storage life a good amount.

[knightofrubus]

One thing I could see the project doing is also 'making' food. Theres work being done to take C02 as a feedstock for a live culture that can be then turned into what amounts to flour without need grain. It's still in its infancy but I could easily see PB1 and PB2 having dedicated bioreactors to churn out a similar product.

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by knightofrubus

One thing I could see the project doing is also 'making' food. Theres work being done to take C02 as a feedstock for a live culture that can be then turned into what amounts to flour without need grain. It's still in its infancy but I could easily see PB1 and PB2 having dedicated bioreactors to churn out a similar product.

This would probably be the way PB and PB2 (Maybe Exigency Base, though that doesn't roll of the tongue well) would be making food stocks. There are some articles a the VTT website about their work in cellular agriculture. The recently produced egg whites this way. They have grown things that look like vegetable paste using a variety of plant cell cultures and bioreactors that stand up nutritionally to their plant counter parts, though they have radically diferent textures. They also did work on using solar power to convert CO2 to a protein that looks and could probably be used like a vegetable protein in food production. Their site is worth a look for ideas:

https://www.vttresearch.com/en

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by StainlessSteelCynic

And according to this article, the actual shelf-life of freeze-dried food that is canned can last up to 30 years and not the five years typically advertised as the use by date.
https://funfactz.com/food-and-drink-...d-safe-to-eat/

I had a friend who passed away that was a food scientist. One thing we talked about was canned food. She mentioned an on-going project about canned food. The last time we talked, they had opened and tested some food from cans that were kept in a temperature and humidity controlled environment for 60 years. The food inside was still safe to eat, though there were some color and taste changes. Her take away was that the research was showing as long as the can was not damaged and kept cool, the food would last a very long time. Rust on the can and other damage would cause micro-holes to let oxygen in and then it's game over.

So if MP stores were canned and the climate controls working, canned food might taste a bit off, but you won't die from it.

[Desert Mariner]

Originally Posted by mmartin798

... assuming Prime Base and Back Up Prime Base (need a catchy name for that) ...

Group I originally played with (Germany circa 1986) usually referred to Backup Prime as "pis aller".

[mmartin798]

Originally Posted by Desert Mariner

Group I originally played with (Germany circa 1986) usually referred to Backup Prime as "pis aller".

I know some German since my family is mostly from Germany. Took me a while to figure out that is a French word. As far as names go, it's a pretty good one.

[nduffy]

Soilent Morrow?
In a pinch it would do, but I dont see anyone long term eating it...