The National Sanitation Foundation (NSF) and Ford Gum recently announced that Military Energy Gum (MEG) will be included in USO Care Packages starting this year, continuing its mission to support military service members stationed around the world. USO Care Packages are delivered to service members and include items specifically selected to support them in challenging times, such as during a deployment, disaster response, and in transit to remote locations. 

Additionally, MEG has become the first-ever gum to earn certification to NSF’s Certified for Sport, reportedly marking a significant milestone in the functional gum and sports nutrition categories. NSF Certified for Sport is a third-party testing and certification program that helps protect athletes and consumers by evaluating products for harmful ingredients and substances banned in sport.

To learn more about the product, the USO partnership, and its NSF certification, we reached out to Scott Lerner, CEO, Ford Gum.

Liz Parker Kuhn: Can you please describe the Military Energy Gum (MEG) product? When was it initially released, and how did it earn its NSF Certification? 

Scott Lerner: MEG has been in use by the U.S. Military since 2003. NSF Certified for Sport was designed to help athletes and consumers make more knowledgeable decisions when choosing supplements and functional foods. The program tests products for over 295 athletic banned substances, as well as potentially harmful levels of specific contaminants like lead and arsenic. Product formulation, label claims, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) compliance are also verified as part of this supplement certification.

Certified for Sport is the only certification recognized by Major League Baseball, the National Hockey League, the Canadian Football League, and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA); it is also recommended by the NFL, NBA, PGA Tour, LPGA, CCES, ASPDA, iNADO, Ironman, NASCAR, Taylor Hooton Foundation, and many other organizations seeking to mitigate the risks of contaminated dietary supplements.

To obtain NSF Cert for Sport status on MEG, we submitted proof of our existing certifications including SQF, had NSF conduct an audit of our production facility to ensure it met their standards, and submitted MEG product samples to NSF for testing and evaluation. We continue to send product samples from each batch of MEG we produce for continued testing by NSF.

LPK: How did the USO Care Packages partnership come about?

SL: USO partnership came to be after we proactively reached out to the USO last year to offer donations of MEG product to support military service members. We connected with their team and learned about the USO Care Package program which provides essential items to support our troops far from home. MEG agreed to supply donated packs of MEG for distribution in USO Care Packages throughout 2026. MEG is included in USO Care Package shipments as of April 2026.

LPK: Do you know what other products are included in the care packages for the troops? 

SL: USO Care Packages include a variety of products. Below are some additional details from the USO website:

• USO Care Packages (Toiletry): Items such as toothpaste, deodorant, shampoo, soap, razors, and more.
• USO Care Packages (Female Toiletry): Items such as toothbrushes, shampoo, conditioner, razors, sanitary pads, tampons, hair ties, and more.
• USO Care Packages (Snacks): Items such as energy-boosting snacks, drink mixes, and other snacks that may be difficult to access while overseas.
• USO Care Packages (Holidays): Items such as socks, beanies, hand warmers, candy, instant coffee, and a holiday card with a note of support from the USO.

A bag that you can re-use: all standard, toiletry, and snack USO Care Packages are in canvas bags with a Molle system on the back of the pouch so that you can easily attach the care package to most military-issued gear and take it with you.

LPK: MEG has a longstanding relationship with the U.S. Military—can you please expand on that?

SL:  Military Energy Gum was initially developed as part of the Military Fatigue Relief Research Program in the late 1990’s. This program focused on innovative ways to help Warfighters improve their sleep management and combat fatigue. MEG was evaluated in a number of clinical trials conducted by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research as part of this military initiative to maintain or improve alertness and physical and mental performance in fatigued or sleep deprived soldiers. In 1998, the product was brought to the attention of Dr. Gary Kamimori, of the Department of Behavioral Biology at WRAIR, as a novel means of administering caffeine as a countermeasure to fatigue. Following the completion of the initial congressionally funded study in 1999, which validated how fast caffeine in gum form was absorbed into the body, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC) began a program to develop and test MEG for use in sustained or continuous military operations where soldiers are unable to get enough sleep.

Following extensive clinical evaluation, MEG was recommended by the Committee on Military Nutrition Research in 2001 for use in military operations. MEG has been supplied to service members via MRE’s for 20+ years, with over four million packs being included in military rations to date.

LPK: Does Ford Gum have any new products out? What about for the rest of 2026?

SL: We are developing a new bulk carton of single-serve MEG pouches which will be available later this year. This item is being developed primarily to support MLB, NFL, and other professional sports customers interested in using MEG as a tool to support mental alertness and physical performance for their athletes.

LPK: What’s your favorite Ford Gum product to enjoy?

SL: MEG Cinnamon.

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