It's Hot, It's Creamy. It's Three Course Gum as a Meal

Remember Willy Wonka's magical gum? Wonka promised the flavors of tomato soup, roast beef, baked potato, blueberry pie and ice cream. As the avid gum lover Violet Beauregarde tested it out, she exclaimed: "It's hot and creamy, I can actually feel? it running down my throat!"  Um, yum... I think.

Good news. Wonka's three course chewing gum is finally a reality-in-the-works. Scientists at the Institute of Food Research (IFR) have been developing recent advances in nanotechnology, which could potentially "capture and release flavors in a precisely controlled way".

Via Daily Mail, food scientist Dave Hart says:

"Wonka's fantasy concoction has been nothing but a dream for millions of kids across the world. But science and technology is changing the future of food, and these nanoparticles may hold the answer to creating a three course gourmet gum.

Tiny nanostructures within the gum would contain each of the different flavours. These would be broken up and released upon contact with saliva or after a certain amount of chewing.

The tomato soup capsule would break on contact with saliva, followed by roast beef and blueberry pie in stronger structures - providing a sequential taste explosion as you chew harder."

One question. When will it hit the shelves?!? Better be in my lifetime.

• Previously, Real Life Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: World's First Wonkavator.