Ian's company is called Cravings. The strips are aimed at people on the sort of diet that cuts out tasty treats, but can't stop craving them - hence the highly original name.

We all know the temptation to reach for the biscuits when the dreaded three o'clock slump rolls around, and the pocket-sized dispenser might be able to stave off the desire for chocolate if you kept one on your desk.

Chocolate is apparently the most craved foodstuff when somebody is on a diet, which meant it was the first and most important flavour for Ian and his team to develop, but other tastes in the pipeline included pizza, hamburgers and even macaroni and cheese.

The entrepreneur aimed to raise $40,000 by this month, promising free tasters, t-shirts and wristbands to those who contributed.

Sadly, he didn't manage to reach his target, so the world may have to wait a little longer for calorie-free chocolate.

But we can't say we're too devastated - nothing can really live up to the real thing, can it?

Calorie-free chocolate: can it ever really be the same as the real thing?