flavored air on sale in britain

[Amby 490]

An inhaler that allows chocoholics to submit to their cravings without putting on weight is to be released in British stores.

Le Whif, dubbed the world's first breathable food, lets consumers suck in the taste of chocolate or coffee while taking on less than one calorie.

The lipstick-style tube contains hundreds of milligrams of tiny food particles which are small enough to become airborne, but too large to enter the lungs.

Each Le Whif contains enough flavour for about eight to ten puffs and costs £1.99 on its own, or £4.99 for a pack of three.

The inhaler is available in chocolate, raspberry chocolate and mint chocolate models as well as coffee flavour, which gives a dose of caffeine equivalent to a small shot of espresso.

It was invented by David Edwards, professor of biomedical engineering at Harvard University, with the help of Michelin-rated chef Thierry Marx.

Prof Edwards said Le Whif was not designed to replace food but could be used to enhance dining experiences, by allowing people to sample a variety of dishes before ordering their meal.

He said: "In terms of living off whiffing I think we are not even close to being there.

"But there clearly has been a revolution over the last few years where we are eating smaller amounts of food more frequently, and choosing food for its aesthetic pleasure."

In Britain Le Whif is to be sold exclusively in House of Fraser for a month, after which it could become more widely distributed. The product was released in Paris last year.

http://web.orange.co.uk/article/quirkies/Flavoured_air_comes_to_Britain