Spoon Uses Electric Charge To Make Food Taste Saltier

The Japanese company Kirin Holdings has unveiled an Electric Salt Spoon that is designed to make food taste saltier without the need for additional sodium. The spoon, made from a combination of plastic and metal parts, delivers a weak electric field to the tongue while eating, concentrating sodium ion molecules and enhancing the perceived salty and umami taste of low-sodium foods. Co-developed by Professor Homei Miyashita of Meiji University, the technology behind the spoon was previously demonstrated using prototype chopsticks and won an Ig Nobel Prize in 2023.

With concerns over high salt intake in Japan, where adults can consume twice the recommended amount, Kirin aims to help people reduce their sodium intake through the Electric Salt Spoon. The technology has been specifically tailored for the Japanese market and tested on popular national dishes like miso soup. Despite initially selling only 200 spoons online, Kirin plans to expand overseas sales by 2025 and hopes to have one million users worldwide by the end of the decade.