Draft:Ferdinand Paul Mehrlich
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Comment: In accordance with Wikipedia's Conflict of interest policy, I disclose that I have a conflict of interest regarding the subject of this article. 216.238.11.178 (talk) 13:59, 11 July 2025 (UTC)Dr. Ferdinand P. Mehrlich | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 9, 1905 |
| Died | January 30, 1997 |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | Development of freeze-dried military rations |
| Awards | Army Meritorious Civilian Service Medal |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Food science |
| Institutions | Quartermaster Food and Container Institute, Natick Laboratories |
Dr. Ferdinand Paul Mehrlich (May 9, 1905 – January 30, 1997) was an American food scientist best known for his pioneering work on military nutrition and ration development. He served as the Scientific Director of the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute for the Armed Forces and later at U.S. Army Natick Laboratories.
Early life and education
[edit]Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Mehrlich earned his A.B. (magna cum laude) from Butler University, followed by graduate studies at the University of California. He completed his Ph.D. in Plant Physiology and Plant Pathology at the University of Wisconsin and undertook post‑doctoral research in mycology at Cornell University.[1]
Early career
[edit]In the early 1950s, Mehrlich served as Chief of the Food Acceptance Branch at the Quartermaster Food and Container Institute in Chicago, where he oversaw food preservation, packaging, and acceptance research.[1]
Work with Dole (Hawaiian Pineapple Company)
[edit]In the mid‑1940s, Mehrlich developed agricultural technologies while based in Honolulu working with the Hawaiian Pineapple Company (soon known as Dole). He invented and patented methods using **plant hormones** to improve pineapple yield and quality. Key patents include:[2]
Military rations development
[edit]Mehrlich later held senior scientific leadership roles in the U.S. Army:
Quartermaster Food and Container Institute, Chicago → Natick Laboratories In March 1961, during a Congressional hearing on relocating the Food and Container Institute to Natick, he was named as Scientific Director and participant in the relocation presentation.[3]
Natick Laboratories and Ranger/LRP Rations As Director of the Food Laboratory at Natick, Mehrlich authored the 1963 technical report *"Development of Individual Lightweight Rations, Phase I: Ranger Ration and Long Range Patrol Ration."* He spearheaded freeze-drying technology for field rations and directed creation of lightweight menus for Special Forces.[4]
Nutritional evaluation and research oversight He supervised nutritional evaluations of rations in a 1965 DTIC study comparing multiple lightweight menus. The rations under test were described as developed under his guidance.[5]
Mehrlich's 1969 internal paper *"Evolution of the Food Packet, Long Range Patrol"* outlined the importance of long-term R&D, freeze-drying innovation, sensory evaluation criteria, and field usability; the LRP ration confirmed his view that the interplay of research and development leads to operational success.[6]
Contributions and legacy
[edit]Mehrlich played a central role in:
- Agricultural research using synthetic plant hormones with Dole to improve pineapple yield and maturation.
- Advancing freeze-drying (lyophilization) techniques for meat and other field rations.
- Developing Ranger and LRP rations that served as direct predecessors to modern Meal, Ready‑to‑Eat (MRE) systems.
- Introducing sensory and human factors science into ration design and soldier acceptability.
- Shaping military nutrition through long‑term institutional R&D, rather than reactive development.
Recognition
[edit]He received the Army Meritorious Civilian Service Medal and is cited in several government and academic works on military food science and nutrition policy.
Selected publications
[edit]- Mehrlich, F.P. (1969). Evolution of the Food Packet, Long Range Patrol. Technical Report 69-78-QAO. U.S. Army Natick Laboratories. Full text[7]
References
[edit]- ^ a b Roster of scientific personnel, Quartermaster Food and Container Institute (1954), p. 14
- ^
- US 2,441,163 – "Treatment of pineapple plants with plant hormones" (filed Jan 1944; issued May 1948)
- US 2,527,499 – "Pineapple plant culture" (filed Dec 1944; issued Oct 1950)
- ^ Congressional Record, March 31, 1961; attendees included General Tribe and "Dr. Mehrlich, Scientific Director"
- ^ Mehrlich (1963), AD0338491: Ranger/LRP Ration development, author
- ^ AD0623712 (1965), comparative nutritional evaluation report
- ^ Elizabeth LeBlanc (2018), *Nutrition for National Defense*, p. 101
- ^ https://apps.dtic.mil/sti/tr/pdf/AD0695622.pdf
- LeBlanc, Elizabeth. Nutrition for National Defense: American Food Science in WWII and the Cold War. Stanford University, 2018.
- U.S. Congressional Record, March 31, 1961.[1]
- Manus, L.D. (2001). Synthetic Food Color Additives and "The Feingold Hypothesis." *Perspectives in Biology and Medicine*, 44(3), 319–339.