Electric Chopsticks Make Food Taste More Savory Without Added Salt

It ’s unfortunate that the rudimentary component that make food taste better — salinity and kale — can have less than desired event on the human eubstance if over - consumed . But just as VR goggles can play a trick on the eye into interpret 3D worlds that do n’t subsist , thesechopsticks can trick the user ’s tongueintotasting salty flavors , even in sizable dishes that are low-down in Na .

Jointly developed by researchers from the Yoshinori Miyashita Laboratory of the Department of Advanced Media Science , Meiji University , and a Japanese nutrient producer prognosticate Kirin ( mostly known for its beer ) , the chopsticks were make as part of an effort by Japan ’s Ministry of Health , Labor and Welfare to boil down the daily salt breathing in of the Japanese people which , on average , is actually considerably gamy than the recommendations of the World Health Organization .

The destination are to scale down the amount of table salt being consumed by at least 20 % , but that also leads to a reduction in flavor : an continuously problematic stumbling block for those trying to change and lodge to a healthier diet . That ’s where the chopsticks come in . On the oddment of one of them is a metal liaison that pass along an electric electric current with a specific wave shape into a diner ’s mouth that affects the ion in sodium chloride and monosodium glutamate so that the piquant and umami flavors receive by their taste buds are enhanced .

Image:Meiji University

In a late trial the bestow electric foreplay was find to increase the piquant flavor of a give way solid food by almost 1.5 times . When eating something made with a 30 % reduction in salt , the divergence in flavour would be imperceptible to the drug user . Anyone who ’s ever licked the contacts on a 9 - volt battery on a daring will agree that deliberately shocking the spit seems like a bad idea , but the grade of electrical stream used here is insensible , and the mind has a quite a little of precedents .

In 2016 another squad of Japanese researcherscreated an electric forkthat enhances the flavors of both salty and turned , and acompany call SpoonTEKsells an upgraded spoon with electrical link that not only promises to enhance flavors , but also slenderize the unpleasant aftertaste and tang of foods like greek yoghurt . Researchers have even get so far as to createlickable screensable to reanimate a wide sort of tastes without really putting any solid food in your mouth .

The estimation of enjoy a practical repast without assimilate a single calorie is still a few years aside , but the researchers at Meiji University have polish their chopstick to make a more consumer - friendly version that connects to a wrist - worn stamp battery pack , although it ’s not quite quick for quality - time just yet , so for the time being possibly just skip the salt shaker or soy sauce .

Image: Meiji University