Military Baked Pizzza that Last Years

Food scientist told the Associated Press that they developed pizza that can be eaten in 3 years will soon become a soldier's ration. Michelle Richardson from the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center said pizza is one of the most requested items when soldiers are asked every year what they'd like to see in their rations. Although scientists at the Natick labs also are responsible for developing equipment and clothing that improves soldiers' combat effectiveness and their survival, pizza had become the holy grail there due to its popularity.

Richardson had spent nearly two years developing the recipe that doesn't require any refrigeration or freezing in a large kitchen full of commercial equipment. To prevent moisture in tomato sauce or cheese from migrating to the dough, ingredients called humectants — sugar, salt and syrups — were use to bind water and keep it from getting to the dough. To keep the pizza fresh for three years at 80 degrees, the acidity of the sauce, cheese and dough were tweaked to make it harder for oxygen and bacteria to thrive.