The spoon reinvented: The Electric Salt spoon, developed by Japanese company Kirin, is designed to make food taste saltier than it actually is, thereby cutting the health risks associated with high salt intake. Photo: Andrej Sokolow/dpa
You might not have thought that the spoon needed reinventing. But innovators in Japan say otherwise and are convinced that a more high-tech spoon can help us eat more healthily.
A new kind of spoon from Japanese company Kirin uses a light electronic current to make food taste saltier than it actually is, thereby letting us ingest less salt and avoid the associated health risks.
This electric toothbrush of spoons, if it proves practical in everyday settings, could help tackle a global problem with the over-consumption of salt.
Extensive research has linked heavy salt intake to high blood pressure, cardiovascular diseases, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease, as well as 1.89 million annual deaths according to World Health Organization figures.
The technology behind the reinvented spoon relies on a weak electric current that brings sodium ions to the tongue, where they become concentrated and more noticeable.
Kirin, demonstrating the Electric Salt spoon at the annual CES tech fair in early January, says that it works best with liquids like soups and sauces. It's of course not as helpful at cutting back on salt intake from foods like chips, crisps and peanuts.
For the technology to work, the food still has to contain some salt, otherwise there would be nothing to enhance.
Designed similarly to an electric toothbrush, the spoon houses its electronics in the handle, while the tip, which has an electrode, can be removed and washed separately.
According to the developers, the spoon can make food taste about 50% saltier. In Japan, traditional ramen dishes, for example, are often very salty, as is soy sauce.
The spoon has four intensity levels. Kirin recommends starting with the lowest. During samples at the CES, however, some visitors found it difficult to taste a clear difference, at least at the lowest intensity.
The Electric Salt is already on sale in Japan, albeit only in limited numbers. A spoon costs around 20,000 yen (equivalent to $127).
Unfortunately, the spoon's makers say the top part can't be put in the dishwasher and needs to be cleaned by hand. The high-tech handle meanwhile can be broken if rinsed under running water.
It seems that when it comes to running a low-maintenance household, nothing beats the millenia-old design of the original spoon. – dpa
