Occurrence and Effects of High Temperature Stress in Rations Stored in ContainerVans: A Comparison with Storage Studies in the 1950s

摘要

Three container vans (CVs) used to transport and store rations in OperationDesert Shield/Storm (ODS) in 1991 were obtained and located at the Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), Yuma, AZ to monitor heat stress occurring in military rations in a desert climate. One of the vans contained Meal-Ready-To-Eat (MRE) rations, one B Rations, and one Tray Rations. A total of 64 thermocouples were attached throughout the vans and temperatures were recorded hourly. Time-temperature indicators (TTI) were also attached to some cartons, and samples of MREs inserted for sensory evaluations after the summer of storage. Temperatures were analyzed for the summer period from 18 June to 14 September 1992 and compared to similar studies conducted in the 1950s in railroad boxcars. Results show that, despite a smaller headspace in the CVs, the maximum temperatures reached in the top cartons of rations, as in the boxcars, rarely exceeded 120 deg F, although temperatures four inches below the roof reached 142-151 deg F. Mean temperatures of the top ration cartons in CVs were five degrees higher than in boxcars and were five to seven degrees higher than the outside ambient mean. Similar to the situation in boxcars and storage dumps, there appears to be a strong linear correlation between mean weekly ambient air temperature and top carton air temperature. The heat stress in the vans caused appropriate decreases in reflectance with certain TTIs. Significant decreases in sensory qualities of color and other attributes in rations were noted after the summer of storage in the hot desert....Container transport, Hot regions, Deserts, High temperature, Ration storage, Storage, Military rations, Heat stress.