Galaxy Class Starship
U.S.S ENTERPRISE NCC-1701-D
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Food service on board the Enterprise is provided by a molecular replication system that can instantly recreate any of thousands of thousands of food selections at a moment's notice.
This system employs transporter-based matter replication which can produce, with almost fidelity, nearly 4,500 types of foods, which are stored in computer memory.
Food Replication System
The heart of the food replication system is a pair of molecular matrix matter replicators located on Deck 12 and 34.
These devices dematerialize a measured quantity of raw material in a manner similar to that of a standard transporter.
Unlike a standard transporter, however, no molecular imaging scanners are used to derive analog pattern data of the original material.
Instead, a sophisticated quantum geometry transformational matrix field is used to modify the matter stream to conform to a digitally stored molecular pattern matrix.
The matter stream is then routed through a network of waveguide conduits to any one of the hundred of replicator terminal located throughout the spacecraft.
Such terminals are located in most living quarters as well as in various lounges and common dining areas.
The molecular pattern matrix controls the rematerialization process at the replication terminal, so that the finished product is a virtually identical copy of the original dish.
Food Replication Terminal (typical)
The raw food stock material is an organic particulate suspension, a combination of long-chain molecules that has been formulated for minimum replication power requirements.
When dematerialized, using a slightly modified phase transition coil chamber, the resulting matter stream statistically requires at least quantum transformational manipulation to replicate most finished foodstuff.
This "transmutation" of matter is a modern scientific miracle, but thee use of this raw material keeps the energy cost within reason.
Although the raw food stock is normally replaced at starbase resupply, osmotic and electrolytic fractioning of wastewater allows up to 82% of food stock to be reclaimed an reused.
In a shortage, raw food stock can be replicated from general raw stock or waste material, but the energy cost is correpondingly higher, so this practice is to be avoided.
This system is relatively expensive to operate in terms of mass of the hardware involved and the energy cost of operation, but it is a significant savings over a traditional food storage and preparation system.
Older techniques required the storage (either in refrigeration or stasis) of a large number of raw foodstuff types.
The total mass of stored foodstuffs would have to be nearly twenty times greater in order to provide even a tenth of the menu items offered by the replicator system.
Because food is stored in a single uniform staple, very little mass and storage penalty is incurred in providing an extremely wide range of menu choices.
Extensive recycling of food stock permits an even more dramatic mass savings over extended voyages.
Further, the labor involved even an automated food preparation (and the crew support costs thereby incurred) further increases the cost of traditional food service.
As with all transporter-based replication system, the food replicators operate at molecular resolution.
Because of this, there are significant numbers of single-bit errors in the resulting replicated materials.
These errors are not nutritionally significant (although some individuals do claim to be able to taste differences in certain dishes), but certain types of Altarians spices have shown a tendency to become mildly toxic when replicated, so their use is avoided on replicated dishes.