A US military lab in Massachusetts has reached a breakthrough in their quest to aid the army. The US military has been asking soldiers what they’d like to be added to the list of MREs (Meal, Ready-To-Eat), and pizza has always topped the list. The problem with pizza as we all know is that it doesn’t last long enough to be usable as a military ration. Until now, of course.

According to report from PHYS ORG, the researchers have come up with a tweak to the ingredients to prevent bacteria from growing. The result is a pizza that will remain edible for three years:

But on-and-off research over the past few years helped them figure out ways to prevent moisture from migrating. That includes using ingredients called humectants—sugar, salt and syrups can do the trick—that bind to water and keep it from getting to the dough.

But that alone would not help the pizza remain fresh for three years at 80 degrees, so scientists tweaked the acidity of the sauce, cheese and dough to make it harder for oxygen and bacteria to thrive. They also added iron filings to the package to absorb any air remaining in the pouch.

It might be safe to say that a three-year-old pizza won’t taste as good as a fresh one, but it sure beats bread and biscuits.

[via PHYS ORG, Kotaku]