Picnics and packed school lunches may never be the same again, thanks to
the latest breakthrough by military science -- the non-soggy sandwich.

Spurred on by rather unappetizing U.S. battlefield food known as
Meals Ready to Eat, scientists at the Army Soldier Systems Center in
Massachusetts have devised a vacuum-sealed sandwich that stays edible
for up to three years.

"The water activity of the different sandwich components needs
to complement each other," project officer Michelle Richardson told
New Scientist magazine. "If the water activity of the meat is too
high you might get soggy bread."

Using an array of chemicals to seal the meat and inhibit bacterial
growth, the scientists already have produced pepperoni and barbecue
chicken indestructible sandwiches, which have been given a cautious
welcome by soldiers who agreed to try them.

Inspired by their apparent breakthrough, the scientists are now
experimenting with pizzas, bagels, burritos and even the staple peanut
butter sandwich.