Protein resequencer.

[Lynn stryker]

Protein resequencer It is a still subject of debates whether the food dispensers of the Enterprise NCC-1701 are a predecessor of the replicators or only the terminal of a network to distribute food from the kitchen to all areas of the ship. The little appetizing glibber served in some TOS episodes like "By Any Other Name" looks like replicated indeed, even though it would be a very primitive replicator. There was probably always an additional kitchen (as seen in "Star Trek VI") to supplement the replicator, in particular for special occasions (and to avert mutinies ;-)).

What we know about the food preparation aboard Enterprise is that a protein resequencer is used to create food, as Tucker states in ENT: "Breaking the Ice". With this raw material the actual meals are obviously prepared the old-fashioned way in the kitchen. Simple food and beverages, however, may be completely created by the food processors, like the ice cream in five flavors in ENT: "Oasis". On the other hand, Hoshi states in "Singularity" that the device would be able to resequence "chicken and potatoes", which sounds a lot more sophisticated. In ENT: "Unexpected" T'Pol orders a glass of carbonated water, and she gets a brown (water & carbon?) sauce instead. This malfunction looks like the device actually works like a predecessor of a replicator. We wouldn't expect a "sauce network" through the ship. ;-) The device on Enterprise is at least a bit less advanced than the replicators we know since TNG and which are able to replicate a complete warm meal together with the plate, and virtually anything else, organic or not. The problem is with respect to TOS. Maybe we can claim that the food on the Enterprise NCC-1701 was at least partially replicated and that it only looked primitive because it was the taste of the time.

Fully-fledged replicators with all the capabilities of 24th century and probably beyond are featured in ENT: "Dead Stop". We may assume that, since the station is destroyed in the end (it started rebuilding itself, though), this technology will remain isolated.

Note: from ex-astris-scientia.org