How does it taste...??? It's an aquired taste! I can't remember how it tastes... ha!. If you dun wanna lick the emulsion, then just use ur finger to transfer the saliva. I was told the 'licking' method was used by many old-time photographers in the field when they left their film extractor at home. Have you tried it yet? Did it work? It takes some effort when you are not used to it, but it works.... But u must bear in mind that once u've licked off all the emulsion on the film tip, it won't work already.