Amazon developing refrigeration-free prepared meal technology to counter the online startups

Amazon, the world’s largest eCommerce player, is exploring technology to produce MRE (Meal, Ready-to-Eat) which don’t need any refrigeration to be edible. The company aims to create such product for the ordinary people which currently predominantly used by military and special services as a food supplement in battlefield. This would help Amazon to manage from an inventory and logistics standpoint, since warehousing and transportation needs would be far less complex. This is also a potential advantage when it comes to Amazon’s efforts in on-demand meal delivery, where it’s already making pilot efforts to compete with dedicated companies in the field like Blue Apron.

The technology explored by Amazon is called ‘microwave assisted thermal sterilization’ (MATS) and involves heating sealed packages of food in high-pressure water baths within microwaves, which helps them keep their original flavor and much of their nutrient content while eliminating bacteria and extending shelf life to up to a year. The process is used by 915 Labs, a startup that is pursuing commercialization of the technology currently. Although the technology is in place, it is not clear if the company will come out with such products anytime soon or it is one of the experimental areas which the firm keep on exploring for future use.