We know that salt is bad for your health if consumed in too large quantities. And yet, many of us re-salt foods before even tasting them. Kirin Holdings, a Japanese brand best known for its beers, offers an original solution to help wean yourself off; the Erekisoruto Spoon or electric salt spoon. On paper, the concept seems very simple. According to Reuters, “a slight electric current concentrates the ions of salt molecules on the tongue“, which has the effect of amplifying the impression of the salty flavor, without suffering the inconvenience of overconsumption of this condiment.
The idea is already a few years old and a prototype (in the form of a chopstick, not a spoon) had been developed by Kirin Holdings, in partnership with the Meiji University of Science and Technology in Tokyo and Professor Homei Miyashita. According to the manufacturer, these famous chopsticks (almost magical, one might be tempted to add) increased the salty sensation by 50%. Obviously, this method will not suit everyone and there are certain contraindications. Pacemaker wearers and pregnant women, for example, would be well advised not to get too close.
The Erekisoruto Spoon (which runs on battery obviously) can be used like a normal spoon. The only difference is that you will have to select the salt intensity level, four levels being provided. For the moment, Kirin Holdings is testing the waters a bit and only 200 units will be sold (19,800 yen or a little less than €130), in Japan only. However, global marketing would be planned for next year and if, for the moment, only the spoon exists, we can very well imagine a fork – more suited to Western food – using this technology