The Concept of Light Food Ration for Military Personnel of the Russian Federation or LFR. Minimization of Weight and Size Indicators

Abstract

Introduction. The conditions for the use of individual food rations (IFR) by military personnel during hostilities impose specific requirements on IFR development and the products chosen for the rations. The complex effect of various stress factors which lead to metabolic disorders in the body and protein-energy deficiency characterizes the conditions of nutrition and functioning of the human body as extreme. The difficulty or impossibility of timely food provision jeopardizes the fulfillment of military personnel's tasks and requires the achievement of minimum weight and size parameters of the diet to increase personnels' autonomy while simultaneously providing the necessary nutrients and energy.Purpose. The study substantiates the possibility of using alternative traditional products to form the diet food matrix. In the context of the article, these are the products of deep technical conversion or structural modification (derivative products), primarily proteins, carbohydrates and fats from various sources of raw materials.Materials and Methods. Analysis of information published in domestic and foreign literature concerning the basic scientific foundations of the theories of balanced and adequate nutrition, functional human nutrition under extreme conditions, research papers of US National Academies divisions including Committee on Optimization of Nutrient Composition of Military Rations for Short-Term, High-Stress Situations, Committee on Military Nutrition Research, Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Medicine, requirements for the diet of military personnel of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and NATO countries, concept of a nutritious food, emergency nutrient norms and standards was used to determine the required adequate amount of macronutrients and micronutrients in the formation of the LFR food matrix.Results. A comparative analysis of the nutrient content, energy value, and bulk density of the IFR products and powdered forms of derivative products reveals the advantages of the latter, which provide minimization of weight and size indicators, adequate satisfaction of the need for basic macro and micronutrients, metabolizable energy, improvement of the functional parameters of military personnel. The expected economic effect from non-traditional products is estimated as savings from reduced logistics costs and purchase price. The presented conceptual groundwork shows the prospects and expediency of further practical development and creation of a light diet based on non-traditional products in light food rations. In addition, this approach contributes to the solution of one of the main tasks in Military Doctrine of the Russian Federation which is improvement of the military-economic support of the military organization based on the rational use of financial, material and other resources.