"Mexican" rice - recipe changes 2005-2006

[Richard w.]

I was sorting some sides that I keep in my desk at the office, and noticed two different "Nutrition Facts" tables on these boxes. The ingredients are a little different, too. The Wornick version was packaged on 18 Jan. 2005(5018) and the Sopakco on 2 Jan. 2006 (6002).

I just ate both of these, side by side, to compare them. As might be expected, I liked the one with more salt, calories, and fat (Wornick) a little better, but both are excellent side dishes.

I'm very interested in learning more about why recipes such as these are changed. Is it just that Wornick and Sopakco have different, proprietary recipes that they don't share with each other? Is it all directed by Natick? Was this an attempt to improve the dish's nutrition?

Anyone have any insider's insight into the process?

[mreheater72]

I was sorting some sides that I keep in my desk at the office, and noticed two different "Nutrition Facts" tables on these boxes. The ingredients are a little different, too. The Wornick version was packaged on 18 Jan. 2005(5018) and the Sopakco on 2 Jan. 2006 (6002).

Here somemore variants:
2001 (1228) Ameriqual Foods 220 calories


2003 (3035) Ameriqual Foods 210 calories


2004 (4246) SoPakCo 210 calories


So long mreheater72

[Richard w.]

Thank you for posting your variants.

Once they've got a dish accepted by the government, I wonder what would prompt them to change their formula.

Make it cheaper? Improve the flavor?

[kman]

Nice bit of detective work, guys - I love all the Mexican Rice variant pics.

As for why some ingredients are different than others, I don't think Natick specifies actual recipes. As far as I can tell, it's up to the individual producers to come up with their own recipes. The only guides I've been able to find are the monographs listed here:

http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/support/qa ... mono-a.asp

And here's the one for Mexican Rice:

http://www.dscp.dla.mil/subs/support/qa ... pa/m3b.pdf

All that PDF really says is this:

ITEM: Rice, Mexican, Type II

NSN: 8940-01-400-4093
ITEM SPECIFICATION MIL-R-44482

PCR-R-001

APPROX CALORIC VALUE: 158 kcals

CHARACTERISTICS OF ITEM:
Appearance: off white grains, with a reddish-brown coating; grains shall be distinct; small pieces of jalapeno pepper

Odor: spicy, typical of Mexican type seasonings

Flavor: spicy Mexican type seasonings with a jalapeno pungency

Texture: soft grains of rice

DEFECTS LIKELY TO OCCUR:

Appearance: darkening of grains and coating
Odor: scorched, rancid, slight loss of odor
Flavor: scorched, rancid, slight loss of flavor and pungency
Texture: grains excessively hard

SPECIAL NOTES:

If upon opening the above characteristics are not apparent when products is cold, heat the product in boiling water or in a saucepan for several minutes before inspection. The product must be serviceable in the cold and heated state.

[Richard w.]

Boy- Those links are great.

I see that the milspec calls it "Rice, Mexican, Type II" (LOL!), so there must have been a "Type I", too.

That link to the big list cleared up a few things I've been wondering about for years.

I never knew what "Thai sauce" in the Chicken in Thai Sauce meal was supposed to be, and now I know (garlic, ginger, soy).