Food ration bar

{{Short description|Compact, shelf-stable, grain-based dry food item}}

File:Type 900 compressed food.jpg

A food ration bar (also known as emergency food bar or compressed food bar){{cite web|title=Specialized nutritious foods |website=World Food Programme |url=https://www.wfp.org/nutrition/special-nutritional-products |access-date=2017-04-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170425032346/https://www.wfp.org/nutrition/special-nutritional-products|archive-date=2017-04-25 |language=en}} is a type of biscuit generally included in emergency rations and compact field rations. A cross between a hardtack and an energy bar, these shelf-stable products provide a high caloric density and are generally made of grain flour, sugar, and vegetable oil.

Food ration bars may be consumed directly or broken up and mixed with water for a porridge. The composition depends on usage: humanitarian versions place a focus on protein content and nutrition fortification,{{cite report |date=March 2007 |title=Final Report on Development of an Emergency Food Product: Product and Packaging Specifications, Shelf Life Study and Drop Test Synopsis |website=United States Agency for International Development |url=https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/Pnads423.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170109050744/http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNADS423.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 9, 2017}} while naval products place the emphasis on it being non-thirst-provoking.{{cite web |title=Best emergency rations (lifeboat food bars) |url=https://theprepared.com/gear/reviews/ration-bars/ |website=The Prepared|date=15 November 2020 }}

Some example ration bars are:

• A-28 (rice) and A-29 (wheat), two USDA humanitarian standard productshttps://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/efp2.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}
• BP-5 Compact Food, fortified humanitarian
• Datrex, for lifeboat use
• Type 90, Chinese military ration

Food bar standards are issued by maritime agencies such as the U.S. Coast Guard and humanitarian agencies such as the World Food Program, each for their respective use cases.

Food ration bars under the name of {{lang|zh|压缩干粮}} "compact dry food" are a core part of the military food of the Chinese People's Liberation Army for field and emergency use.{{cite web |trans-title=Military newspaper goes through the PLA's individual ration development: from ration bars to self-heating food|script-title=zh:军报梳理人民军队单兵口粮发展史：从压缩饼干到自热食品 |url=https://www.thepaper.cn/newsDetail%5Fforward%5F1757726 |script-website=zh:澎湃新闻}}

The experimental Close Combat Assault Ration for the US Army features several food bars,{{cite web |title=More nutrition to fuel Soldier lethality |url=https://www.dla.mil/About-DLA/News/News-Article-View/Article/1534667/more-nutrition-to-fuel-soldier-lethality/ |website=Defense Logistics Agency}} produced using vacuum microwave drying and a new "sonic agglomeration" technology (a combination of ultrasonic welding and molding){{cite web |last1=Kord |first1=Tyler |title=Cooking (and Shrinking) the Modern Combat Ration |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/cooking-shrinking-modern-combat-ration-130000273.html |website=www.yahoo.com |date=June 29, 2019}} that removes the need of binding agents.{{cite web |title=New High Energy Bar from SOUND Seeks to Transform Combat Rations |url=https://www.worldbakers.com/product/new-high-energy-bar-from-sound-seeks-to-transform-combat-rations/ |website=WorldBakers|date=6 March 2023 }}