Army personnel to get chicken biriyani

Army personnel deployed in icy heights like Siachen and Kargil now can look forward to munch mutton and chicken biriyanis or non-vegetarian sandwiches with all nutrients and taste attached, thanks to the efforts of a leading food laboratory.

In its bid to cater to growing demand for non-vegetarian food among defence personnel deployed in high-altitude places, Mysore-based Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) has developed specially prepared and packaged these delights that have a shelf life of one year.

These products had been developed based on non-thermal technology, which helps retain nutrients and taste of Indian food for a long time, DFRL Director Amarinder Singh Bawa said.

"We have developed these products after the Indian Army evinced interest in non-vegetarian fare. They contain non-vegetarian food which stays fresh for a long time and gives the taste of homemade eatables to soldiers in areas where temperatures can be freezing", he said.

Bawa said DFRL had also developed appetiser foods and beverages specially for the Armed Forces, as the personnel tend to lose their appetite when they are deployed at high altitude zones like Siachen and Kargil in the Himalayas.

"We have many products and one of them is appetizer for the Armed Forces. In high altitudes, where oxygen level is less, the armymen tend to lose their appetite as they suffer from acidity and feel their stomach is always full. So when the food intake goes down, the armymen start losing weight and face health problems," he said.