I have no idea where they got the idea the food is flavourless, not only is someone addicted to chocolate mousse, but there’s episodes where a diplomat from planet boring spends their whole time trying different gourmet foods/alcohols.
IIRC, Troi mentions how the replicator makes the food healthier and at one point she specifically instructs it to not do that because she wants a real ice cream sundae even if it isn’t healthy.
And Scotty can taste the difference between alcohol and synthehol.
My interpretation is that synthehol isn’t supposed to be a copy of alcohol, it’s designed to give the positive effects of alcohol without the downsides, so that taste is likely not the main consideration.
I have no idea where they got the idea the food is flavourless, not only is someone addicted to chocolate mousse, but there’s episodes where a diplomat from planet boring spends their whole time trying different gourmet foods/alcohols.
IIRC, Troi mentions how the replicator makes the food healthier and at one point she specifically instructs it to not do that because she wants a real ice cream sundae even if it isn’t healthy.
And Scotty can taste the difference between alcohol and synthehol.
My interpretation is that synthehol isn’t supposed to be a copy of alcohol, it’s designed to give the positive effects of alcohol without the downsides, so that taste is likely not the main consideration.