The future of food - now with less flatulence): Soylent forced to change recipe for its meal replacement drinks after users complained of excess wind
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It was billed as the future of food - a drink that can replace every meal, providing the body with everything it needs to survive without ever having to cook.
However, there was one slight problem - wind.
Today, Soylent revealed it has changed its formula in a bid to cut out the unwanted side effect.
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MailOnline's Taylor Lorenz mixing up her first batch of Soylent. The drink is designed to replace meals
WHAT IS SOLYLENT?
Soylent is a futuristic meal replacement formula developed by a group of engineers bent on revolutionizing the way we fuel our bodies.
The powdery mixture contains no fruits, vegetables or dairy products, yet claims to fulfill all of the human body's dietary needs.
It contains 35 nutrients needed for survival.
'When we began shipping Soylent 1.0, we were confident it was a food that people would love,' the firm said.
'The largely positive feedback we received from our early adopters confirmed this hope, but also provided valuable guidance on how to improve Soylent 1.0.'
Today, it launched v1.1 of its recipe, following complaints from users of flatulence and stomach problems.
'Feedback from Soylent 1.0 strongly indicated that due to the differences in individual people's digestive capabilities, action needed to be taken to ensure that the product is easily digested by everyone, without compromising the other benefits that Soylent provides,' it said.
To solve the problem, it has added a mixture of a few different enzymes, designed to break down proteins and carbohydrates into smaller, more easily digestible fragments.
'Preliminary tests have indicated that they may reduce the digestive issues reported by some Soylent consumers,' it said.
Robert Rhinehart, the 25-year-old co-founder and chief executive of the company selling the food substitute developed the mixture in 2012 while working for a start-up.
He found the process of purchasing, preparing, and consuming food too time consuming and expensive, and hypothesized that 'the body doesn't need food itself, merely the chemicals and elements it contains.'
Rhinehart took a hiatus from experimenting with software, and began experimenting with meal replacement.
He studied health and nutrition books, poured over data from the F.D.A. and U.S.D.A , and eventually came up with a list of 35 nutrients needed for survival.
He ordered the necessary components off the internet, sloshed them into a blender, and began living off of it.
After 30 days straight consuming nothing but the substance he felt better than he had in his entire life.
His food costs also plummeted from over $500 a month, to $154.82.
His roommates saw the dramatic effect Soylent had on Rhinehart's life and health and decided to set up a crowdfunding campaign to sell the concoction to the public.
'Hunger comes from chemicals triggered by a lack of nutrients as well as mechano-sensors in the stomach.'
Soylent is a brown, thick liquid once mixed with water
'If there's something in your stomach and all your nutritional needs are met you won't feel hungry' Rhinehart explains on his blog.
'I feel full after drinking a single glass of Soylent and while the smell of Mexican food from the street used to drive me crazy, now I am unaffected.'
'It's like finding a new partner you really care about.'
'When all your needs are met, you don't have a desire to stray.'
Rhinehart claims that while living off Soylent his physique improved, his skin was clearer, his teeth whiter, and his hair thicker. 'I felt like I'd just had the best breakfast of my life' he wrote after sampling his first Soylent meal, 'it tasted like a sweet, succulent, hearty meal in a glass.'
SOYLENT - THE MAILONLINE VERDICT
Taylor's first taste: She says Soylent is neither sweet nor savory - and a 'nothing food'
I was luckily one of the few who tried the gooey brown mixture and didn't experience any stomach problems.
Before dining on the futuristic slurpee I had heard awful tales of illness from a friend who had subsided on the mixture for a full week.
It made him so ill he was visiting the bathroom nearly ten times a day.
I only treated myself to Soylent for one meal, and didn't experience any issues.
But unlike many fellow testers, I already consume a strict gluten-free vegan diet.
When my stomach confronted the mealy mixture, it didn't flinch.
I can't say the same for my tastebuds. Mail Online decided to put the product to the test and see if this food substitute really holds water.
The first thing you're confronted with when you slice open a box of Soylent is a manifesto.
'The powder you now behold is more than meets the eye' the pamphlet professes, 'this mix of mass, energy, and information is the staple food of the future.
Refined, robust and efficient, Soylent is food that works.'
Below this inspirational card are large pre-packaged 2,000 calorie bags of Soylent mix tucked between tubes of oil- the only ingredients needed (plus water) to produce an entire meal.
I removed a single packet and laid it on the counter with the oil and a Soylent-branded measuring cup.
I decided to make two servings, lunch and dinner, in one fell swoop.
Normally, preparing two separate meals requires multiple ingredients, conflicting preparation methods and a lot of time.
The thought of preparing both lunch and dinner in a single easy mix appealed to me already.
I scooped the allocated amount of powder into my mixing jar, added the water and oil, and proceeded to stir.
Soylent instructions offer three methods of preparation: stirring, blending and shaking.
After 8-10 minutes of stirring I wished I had a blender.
Soylent instructions offer three methods of preparation: stirring, blending and shaking.
It's difficult to get the Soylent powder to fully blend, and I noticed small pockets of dry mixture clumping together like half-done pancake batter.
I shook the container vigorously until the Soylent was as smooth as a chocolate frosty.
Soylent is best served cold, and I briefly considered refrigerating the drink before sampling my first sip.
Some people blend it with ice, but using chilled water seemed to adequately cool the mixture. I poured my first portion into a thermos.
The Soylent smell hit my nostrils before my taste buds.
The beverage smells sterile, but not unappealing, and reminded me of the type of Slim Fast shakes my mother used to drink in the 90s.
It sort of tasted that way too, but less chocolaty.
I assumed, probably because of the color, that the drink would be sweet. In fact, it's neither sweet nor savory.
Soylent doesn't really have a distinct flavor.
It truly is a 'non food' in this respect.
The allocated amount of powder into my mixing jar,then water and oil is added.
It lives up to its utilitarian beginnings, it's not burdened with food-like artificial flavors or sweeteners.
I can see why some suggest blending Soylent with peanut butter, almond milk, or banana. It's remarkably tasteless.
The texture of the drink is equally benign. It's slightly mealy (though this could be due to how I prepared it).
It isn't so thick that it's hard to swallow, but it's also not smooth enough to chug. My liquid lunch companion compared it to mealy Muscle Milk.
The after-taste was as strong as the taste, but not overwhelming.
I was left with a cardboard nutty flavor in the back of my throat.
It tasted like I had swallowed something milky, but there was no film or residue clinging to my tongue.
After consuming 80% of the bottle my hunger was gone and I felt content on a baseline level.
I wasn't craving more food, but I couldn't shake the feeling that I had missed a meal.
In fact, I ended up snacking on some quinoa a few hours later and the action of chewing alone left me feeling more satisfied.
But overall, I'm not sold. After two meals of Soylent, I think I'd rather chew on cake than sip the healthiest cake batter.
Rhinehart's company hasn't conducted any large-scale nutritional studies (though they claim one is in the works), but there's no doubt that the formula is safe and more nutritious than most of what you'd find on the shelves of your local vending machine.
'Now that I've discovered Soylent, I'm healthier than I've ever been, have more freedom with my time and money, and never have to worry about the stuff.
'Finally, I can have my cake and eat it too', Rhinehart professes on his website.
You can purchase the mixture pre-made on soylent.me http://www.soylent.me or follow the recipe on their website and mix a batch from scratch. http://ift.tt/1kQL4ej
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