'Gas-Flushed' Sandwiches Stay 'Fresh' For Two Weeks

Food technologist Ray Boggiano has spent nearly a year developing sandwiches that stay fresh, even when they are two weeks old. Boggiano uses a process called "gas-flushing" (mmm..tasty) that replaces oxygen with carbon dioxide and nitrogen in the protective packaging.

The choice of ingredients are a crucial part to the sandwiches' freshness. Foods that are highly perishable, such as lettuce, are not used. Likewise, oatmeal bread is used since it lasts longer than conventional bread.

Boggiano's sandwich varieties include chicken tikka, cheese ploughmans, tuna mayonnaise, ham and cheese, chicken and bacon, and cheese and onion. The sandwiches will be available at convenience stores and corner shops in the UK.

Sound unappetizing? Boggiano points out that similar sandwiches are quite common in the US. And, of course, they have nothing on the shelf-life of MREs.