Sending food to soldiers in Saudi Arabia. ("do's and don'ts" for overseas food packages)

Sending food to soldiers in Saudi Arabia As the Persian Gulf crisis continues and large numbers of troops remain based in the Saudi Arabian desert, more and more families and friends here in the States are sending care packages of homemade food and other goods to their loved ones. But because troops are particularly vulnerable to diarrhea caused by possibly tainted water and food as well as by stress, it's especially important that they receive "food presents and not food problems," says Sue Templin, supervisor of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Meat and Poultry Hotline. That's why USDA food scientists, the military, and the U.S. Postal Service recently joined forces to …