a company creates a spoon that helps reduce salt consumption

A Japanese company will help people who salt their dishes too much in order to improve the flavors. The Kirin group has just put on sale a revolutionary spoon which will boost the intensity of the taste of dishes by circulating a small electric current in the mouth.

The Japanese group, which is a major drinks producer, has been working since the 2010s with researchers specializing in what is called electric taste. In fact, when we eat and chew food, stimuli are transmitted to the brain in the form of electrical signals. The taste buds on the tongue will send a message after detecting sweet, sour or salty. According to Japanese researchers, this perception of saltiness can be boosted, increased, if we pass a little electric current over the tongue when we eat.

In reality, what happens is that the current will concentrate on the taste buds the sodium ions, that is to say the salt, which would otherwise have been dispersed throughout the mouth. At that moment, they send the signal to the brain that it is salty even if the quantity of salt, sodium, is low in the dish.

To boost this electric taste, engineers have developed a special spoon which increases the perception of saltiness. The object looks like a mini-ladle which is 25 cm long and weighs 60 grams. The tablespoon is mounted on the body of an electric toothbrush. It is quite thick because it contains batteries and mini-electrodes, under the handle and under the spoon, which will conduct the current when in contact with your tongue.

The utensil is not dangerous, there is no sensation. However, the company is asking children and individuals who have pacemakers not to use them at this time.

According to the Kirin group, the objective is to help all people who need to reduce their salt consumption. The Japanese eat rather salty, notably due to the use of soy sauce. The proportion is around 11 grams of salt per day on average for men and nine grams for women. While the World Health Organization recommends limiting yourself to five grams per day.

In Japan, the government is increasing campaigns to reduce salt consumption and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease or hypertension. Kirin says its new spoon could help consumers reduce their daily salt intake by almost 30%. However, the spoon is not yet reimbursed by social security and it has a significant cost. You will have to be able to pay nearly 20,000 yen, that is to say 117 euros, to obtain it.