Could a DS9 Replicator make me a Diet Coke

[Praetor]

I seem to remember Riker and Yar (I think) discussing how gross the idea of slaughtering animals was in 'Lonely Among Us.' I think the implication was meant to be that all 24th century meat was replicated rather than derived from animals.

Maybe they both just happened to be vegetarians?

 

[Kira Nerys]

It would only make modern foods not ancient historical food or drinks.

 

[The Grim Ghost]

^ Well Riker says that humans no longer "enslave" animals during that awful Irish/Clone episode I believe.

For the record, I'll take a Diet Coke or a Diet Sprite over the real deal any day. Regular sodas are so sickly sweet I just can't take it, and leave a horrible long lasting aftertaste.

 

[USS Triumphant]

Why in the heck would you want a Diet Coke, when you can replicate the juices of fruits from a thousand worlds, or much healthier formulations of tasty colas that we could probably even make now, but don't because they aren't cost effective for mass marketing?

As to the meat issue, all a steak, for example, is is a animal tissue arranged in a particular structure that is determined by the bones it grows on. One could easily take a set of small, harmless cell samples from a particularly fine example of a particular animal, simulate the bone structure holographically and clone the tissue over it, then scan the resultant steak and rib cuts, and voila, perfect steaks and ribs from the replicators forever.

The weird thing about that, though, is that there would probably still be people who would object to taking the sample against the animals will in the first place. Which would doubtlessly result in people doing the same thing with cells from humans, Klingons, Vulcans, etc.

"Replicator, I need a bag of Soylent Green brand 'beef' jerky."

 

[The Grim Ghost]

^ True, but remember that the replicators are capable of making all kinds of gourmet meals, but we still see people getting cravings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches..sometimes you just get a taste for something even if it's simple.

There are times when a diet coke might go down easier than Risan fruit punch or whatever

 

[FordSVT]

I imagine if the historical records from our era make it to the DS9 era and if they can make root beer, they can make a reasonable facsimile of Diet Coke, using the recipe from any decade you prefer.

I think some people have a stronger ability to taste the artificial sweetener than others. I can really taste it; it's a strong, sickly sweet taste initially, quickly leaving a bitter, nasty aftertaste in my mouth. I can't stand diet drinks.

I know that to be the case from several people I know. I for one can't detect the difference most of the time, unless someone points it out to me.

Of course, by the 24th century, you'd think that they'd be able to replicate food with no nutritional content that tastes virtually the same a regular food. It's a wonder to me that anyone is fat in the future, because it would be easy to just eat no-calorie food that tastes as good as the real stuff. Just program the replicator system with your desired daily caloric intake - change the password so you can't later change it back when you have a weak dieting day (because you'd still feel the lack of energy, just not the empty stomach) - and voila! you're put on the perfect diet.

It does seem like that's how it would work.

Now, the question remains: would they be able to make the original recipe Coke with cocaine in it?

Of course they could, but Starfleet replicators wouldn't allow the production of an unprescribed and potentially harmful drug like that.

I think replicators only have a hard time reproducing very delicate recipes, and people like Picard who appreciate wine and food are probably more likely than others to be able to tell the difference. Something like soda is chemically simple, mostly water and sugar, should be relatively easier to reproduce than a soufle or a rack of ribs. Also, it would only make sense that when you order, say, spaghetti, you have maybe a few choices of sauces that were programmed in by a culinary staff, and that's it. And it might be a recipe you prefer, it might not be. Or some stuff might be akin to microwave oven food.

There does seem to exist a strong appreciation for fresh ingredients and home-made food in Trek, which suggest that on the whole replicator food maybe isn't as good as the real thing. However, a good home-cooked meal always seems to taste better than most restaraunt food, but that doesn't diminish the quality of the restaraunt meal. A lot of it is perception.

 

[Praetor]

Now, the question remains: would they be able to make the original recipe Coke with cocaine in it?

Of course they could, but Starfleet replicators wouldn't allow the production of an unprescribed and potentially harmful drug like that.

Would they? I wonder.

I think replicators only have a hard time reproducing very delicate recipes, and people like Picard who appreciate wine and food are probably more likely than others to be able to tell the difference. Something like soda is chemically simple, mostly water and sugar, should be relatively easier to reproduce than a soufle or a rack of ribs. Also, it would only make sense that when you order, say, spaghetti, you have maybe a few choices of sauces that were programmed in by a culinary staff, and that's it. And it might be a recipe you prefer, it might not be. Or some stuff might be akin to microwave oven food.

There does seem to exist a strong appreciation for fresh ingredients and home-made food in Trek, which suggest that on the whole replicator food maybe isn't as good as the real thing. However, a good home-cooked meal always seems to taste better than most restaraunt food, but that doesn't diminish the quality of the restaraunt meal. A lot of it is perception.

I agree with this assessment. It makes me feel even worse for the 1701 crew having to eat possibly synthesized turkey meatloaf on Thanksgiving. Wait, I like meatloaf. Nevermind.

 

[USS Triumphant]

^ True, but remember that the replicators are capable of making all kinds of gourmet meals, but we still see people getting cravings for peanut butter and jelly sandwiches..sometimes you just get a taste for something even if it's simple.

There are times when a diet coke might go down easier than Risan fruit punch or whatever

I don't doubt that. But part of my point is that there would still be no point in replicating a Diet Coke as we know it now, when the replicator probably has a recipe for a cola that uses all real premium quality ingredients, and some sweetener would be uber-expensive now, but much more tasty and low-cal. Not that there's even much point in low-cal when you can have body fat beamed out and other optimizations performed with 24th century grooming appliances that we've never seen but seem perfectly reasonable to assume exist.

 

[Mirror_Barclay]

Just because the replicator can't perfectly mimic all foods (thus, restaurants and home cooking remain popular) doesn't mean it can't perfectly mimic any.

For all we know, soda is one thing it might have no trouble with.

I can taste artificial sweeteners (urgh!) and they're a possible migraine trigger, so I'd like to think replicators will just give me a coke, without the health/dental drawbacks.

 

[SheliakBob]

No.
I'm pretty sure that the replicators would have safety measures that would prevent them from converting your mass into diet coke.
Easy question!
...
...
why is everybody looking at me that way?

 

[Praetor]

Q might have no such issues, if he got over getting hit by the Sisko.

 

[Jimmy_C]

It's not canon, but several novels mention that while replicated food is good, it doesn't quite taste as good as the real thing. So you'd get something very close to diet coke, but not quite.

I always felt that it was the Trek equivalent to "audiophiles" who need to buy gold-plated wires. I.E. Just high-tech snobbery. I bet that Replicated Diet Coke probably chemically the same, but not "authentic enough."

P.S. I can't drink normal pop anymore. It is too sugary. I like the taste of Diet Coke!

 

[Lyon_Wonder]

But can the replicator replicate 1980s New Coke if one asked for it?

 

[Praetor]

Hopefully that's been purged from all history files...

 

[Deks]

Just right? They never seem to be able to make any food or drink "just right."

Actually, replicated food doesn't really taste any different from 'real food'.
It's the picky people who apparently grew up on home cooked meals and are wired to think that replicated food is not really 'authentic'.

With that level of technology, there is very little chance that replicated food will not be 'authentic' as far as taste is concerned.

 

[Ro_Laren]

I always wondered about that. I guess it would depend on if the Coke recipe survives to the 24th century.

 

[Lyon_Wonder]

I always wondered about that. I guess it would depend on if the Coke recipe survives to the 24th century.

I did some googling and some sources claim Diet Coke is based on the 1985 New Coke recipe with artificial sweetner instead of sugar. So, I guess New Coke isn't as dead as we thought.