SATS Ltd, a Singapore-based food solutions company, has developed five ready-to-eat meal options for national emergencies, including curry chicken with biryani rice. These meals, designed for public consumption, require no refrigeration and have a shelf life of up to eight months.
Other meal options include chicken Bolognese pasta, fish porridge with sweet potato and pumpkin, sweet spicy tomato fish with basmati rice, and vegetable marinara pasta. All meals are prepared in SATS’ halal-certified kitchen, ensuring food safety and nutritional value without the use of preservatives.
Leveraging its expertise in producing combat rations, SATS spent four to six months on research and development before finalizing the meal options. The company emphasized the importance of shelf-life testing to ensure quality before launching commercial production.
As part of this year’s Exercise SG Ready, approximately 150,000 of these meals will be distributed between February 15 and February 28. The initiative, a key component of Singapore’s Total Defence campaign, aims to prepare the public for emergency situations such as power outages and food supply disruptions.
More than 100,000 students and teachers from over 90 schools, along with 8,000 seniors from 111 Active Ageing Centres, will have the opportunity to try these meals. Despite common perceptions of long-shelf-life meals being unappetizing, initial taste tests have shown that the texture and flavor closely resemble freshly cooked food.
Nutritional value remains a core focus, with the meals providing essential energy and nutrients, including carbohydrates, protein, fiber, and fats. The meals can be consumed at room temperature or heated using a microwave, oven, or immersion in hot water.
SATS sources ingredients selectively, working closely with local farmers for vegetables and mushrooms. The fish used in the meals is also locally sourced. However, certain ingredients, such as leafy greens, pose challenges for long-term storage due to their tendency to deteriorate under high heat.
Once prepared, the meals undergo sterilization using a retort machine, a method used to eliminate harmful bacteria while maintaining food quality. The packaging is subjected to rigorous leak testing to ensure airtight sealing and prevent contamination.
The Singapore Food Agency, which collaborated on this initiative, emphasized the importance of ready-to-eat meals as part of the nation’s food security strategy. The agency encouraged Singaporeans to maintain a well-stocked pantry with extra food supplies, enough to last up to two weeks, and to consider alternative food sources such as frozen or canned products.
With Singapore largely dependent on imported food, initiatives like these ensure that residents have access to safe and nutritious meals during crises.