Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 6
Trends, Convenience, and Safety Issues
of Ready Meals
Ida Idayu Muhamad and Norsuhada Abdul Karim
6.1
Introduction: An Overview
Today's food industry and retailers are trying to address the growing demand for
convenience by considerable expansion of pre-prepared meal solutions, for example
ready meals (also called meals ready-to-eat, MRE) (Geeroms et al.
2008
; Olsen
et al.
2010
). Due to the socio-economic evolutions and the busy and hectic lifestyle,
ready meals have become a popular meal solution for many people around the
world. Based on the retail value of US$92.2 billion in 2012, Euromonitor
International (
2013
) has pointed that ready meal secures a noteworthy market and it
is expected to maintain this momentum in the forthcoming years up to 2016.
6.1.1
History of Ready Meals
In September 1917, the food division of the surgeon general's offi ce was established
for the safeguard of the nutritional interests of the USA army. The initial task of this
offi ce was to investigate the complaints of apparent food wastage in the army camps
and to ensure the nutritional requirements of US soldiers. The results of this depart-
ment's early investigation led to the creation of a training ration that would satisfy
the soldier's appetite, increase effi ciency, provide balanced nutrition. These meals
could be centrally obtained via the quartermaster and could provide fi nancial sav-
ings to the government. These are the basic tenets of ration design. The concept of
hot food and drinking water delivery to troops in the trenches of the battlefi eld was
