Afghanistan troops tuck into new menu | UK news

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  Monday 14 February 2011 22.23 GMT

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The British army's new 12-hour ration pack. Photograph: Sgt Rupert Frere RLC/PA

British troops on the front line in Afghanistan have been given improved ration packs which include beef jerky.

There are new lightweight packs for patrols lasting 12 hours or less, which contain a sandwich and a main meal such as chicken curry or steak and vegetables that can be heated up with a chemical water heater.

The updated menus – which feature Hindu, Sikh, halal and vegetarian options – are designed to meet troops' nutritional needs in different environments and supply the 4,000 or more calories a day they burn up while on active service.

The packs were developed under a £140m contract with Purple Foodservice Solutions, based in Petersfield, Hampshire, which is expected to save the Ministry of Defence £1.6m a year.

Private Ryan Salmon, from 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment, welcomed the new menus. He said: "The 12-hour ration packs are a great change. They contain beef jerky and a sandwich, which are great for a quick meal. The chemical water heater and main meal are good when you are on short ops. You can get a quick warm scoff and not worry about messing around with a cooker." PA