Electric Spoons, Chopsticks May Help Cut Salt
2024-05-27
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1Researchers in Japan say they will begin selling new devices that will help people reduce how much sodium, or salt, they use to improve the taste of their food.
2The developers are from Japan's Meiji University and drink company Kirin based in Tokyo.
3One new device is an electric spoon.
4It uses a small computer worn on a person's arm to send electrical signals to activate sodium atoms.
5The developers say the signals increase the food's salty taste.
6The Electric Salt Spoon will sell in Japan for around $120 beginning in June.
7Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita developed the spoon and a similar device, electric chopsticks.
8The chopsticks will likely go on sale next year.
9The recent announcement marks the first time the technology has been used in a product for sale to the public.
10Last year, the effort gained a different sort of attention.
11It won the 2023 Ig Nobel Prize in nutrition. Organizers describe the prize as recognizing research that makes "people LAUGH, then THINK."
12The devices both use a weak electrical current to send the sodium ions from food, through the chopsticks or spoon, to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, said Miyashita.
13"As a result, the salty taste enhances one and a half times," he said.
14Miyashita and his laboratory have explored ways that technology can interact with and create human sensory experiences.
15He has also developed a lickable TV screen that can recreate the taste of food.
16The beer producer Kirin is turning to healthcare products to expand its traditional business.
17A company spokesperson said the technology might be especially useful for Japanese people, whose traditional diet favors salty foods.
18The average adult in Japan consumes about 10 grams of salt per day.
19The World Health Organization recommends half that amount.
20Eating foods with too much sodium can increase the chances of having high blood pressure, strokes and other health problems.
21"To prevent these diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take," said Kirin researcher Ai Sato.
22Sato said it is hard to cut salt in the usual way because it would mean "eating bland food."
23I'm Jill Robbins.
1Researchers in Japan say they will begin selling new devices that will help people reduce how much sodium, or salt, they use to improve the taste of their food. 2The developers are from Japan's Meiji University and drink company Kirin based in Tokyo. 3One new device is an electric spoon. It uses a small computer worn on a person's arm to send electrical signals to activate sodium atoms. The developers say the signals increase the food's salty taste. 4The Electric Salt Spoon will sell in Japan for around $120 beginning in June. Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita developed the spoon and a similar device, electric chopsticks. The chopsticks will likely go on sale next year. 5The recent announcement marks the first time the technology has been used in a product for sale to the public. Last year, the effort gained a different sort of attention. It won the 2023 Ig Nobel Prize in nutrition. Organizers describe the prize as recognizing research that makes "people LAUGH, then THINK." 6How the devices work 7The devices both use a weak electrical current to send the sodium ions from food, through the chopsticks or spoon, to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, said Miyashita. 8"As a result, the salty taste enhances one and a half times," he said. 9Miyashita and his laboratory have explored ways that technology can interact with and create human sensory experiences. He has also developed a lickable TV screen that can recreate the taste of food. 10The beer producer Kirin is turning to healthcare products to expand its traditional business. A company spokesperson said the technology might be especially useful for Japanese people, whose traditional diet favors salty foods. The average adult in Japan consumes about 10 grams of salt per day. The World Health Organization recommends half that amount. 11Eating foods with too much sodium can increase the chances of having high blood pressure, strokes and other health problems. 12"To prevent these diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take," said Kirin researcher Ai Sato. 13Sato said it is hard to cut salt in the usual way because it would mean "eating bland food." 14I'm Jill Robbins. 15Tom Bateman, Rikako Murayama and Akiko Okamoto reported on this story for Reuters. Jill Robbins adapted it for Learning English. 16______________________________________________ 17Words in This Story 18spoon - n. an eating or cooking tool that has a small shallow bowl attached to a handle 19chopsticks - n. either one of a pair of thin sticks that are used especially by people in Asia to pick up and eat food 20ion - n. an atom or group of atoms that has a positive or negative electric charge from losing or gaining one or more electrons 21enhance - v. to increase or improve something 22lickable - adj. able to be touched with the tongue 23stroke - n. (medical) a serious illness caused when a blood vessel in your brain suddenly breaks or is blocked 24bland - adj. lacking strong flavor 25What do you think of the electric spoon and chopsticks? We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.