Developing freeze-dried bioproducts for the Russian military in the Arctic

Abstract

The Arctic is currently a strategic region of Russia and it requires military protection. Good nutrition is a prerequisite for successful performance of the servicemen in such extreme conditions. The Russian armed forces do not have a special ration for the Arctic region. The existing rations lack products enriched with biologically ac- tive substances, probiotics, prebiotics, or vitamin and mineral complexes. Subcaloric nutrition, even with short-term physical exertion, in combination with low temperatures deprives the human body of vitamins and minerals. There- fore, the development of freeze-dried bioproducts with functional properties is highly relevant. This article presents the results of a study aimed to develop new freeze-dried milk-based bioproducts for the Russian military in the Arc- tic. For this, we created a microbial consortium of lactic acid bacteria with a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activity. We also used a range of functional ingredients, namely pectin, pine nut meal, a ‘Lactobel’ prebiotic protein-and-car- bohydrate product, rowan puree, and rosehip syrup in the amounts established during the study. The new freeze- dried milk-based bioproducts named ‘Pobeda’, enriched with combiotics and metabiotics, will provide the Russian military with better nutrition in the extreme conditions of the Arctic.