Dear Mr Blumenthal

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Dear Mr. Blumenthal

Thought that you might be interested in this extraordinary development in food science.
A post graduate student at the Faculty of Information Technology at the Pazmany Peter Catholic University in Budapest Click below if you dare.....

http://www.en.itk.ppke.hu/education/curriculum_of_the_molecular_bionics_program/

Says he has worked out a way of transmitting flavour in a digital form. He is enrolled in the research dept working with a synthetic polymer membrane that is both a receptor and a transmitter of flavours that have been digitised. It uses nano technology replicating the 5 basic flavour receptors in the tongue. The membrane is placed on the palate and a cord is connected to a black box about the size of an iPod that can be connected to a computer or a 3G type mobile phone.
They say...... [translated]
“What makes this development possible in these emerging new fields?

On the one hand it happened first in the history of technology that molecules can be observed, and molecular-sized machines can be built, on the other hand computer technology also opened innovative frontiers. With Micro-technology, the development of Micro-electronics, then the appearance of Nano-technology electromagnetic interactions that determine molecular dynamism became understandable and can be influenced. Special machines can be built that track and visualize on a molecular level physical changes that accompany the processes of living organisms, and can implant pre-programmed machines, capable of establishing interaction, into those organisms. "

The transmitter is placed in a liquid [It has to be an electrolyte] and the computer at the transmission site digitises the flavour analogues and sends it via the web or phone line to the receptor that has a similar set up. So in theory you could be in your kitchen laboratory in Bray and your diners, or at this early stage tasters, could be anywhere at all.
I guess the only thing to worry about would be a virus getting into the system.