Kirin Holdings announced on May 20 a new product that it claims could revolutionize healthy eating.

S/ Sato Ai, developer, Kirin Holdings: It uses a weak electric current to enhance the saltiness and umami flavor of low salt foods. This is the Electric Salt Spoon.

Co-developed with Meiji University, the spoon allows users to taste enhanced salty and umami flavors even with foods that have a low sodium content.

S/ Miyashita Homei, Professor at Meiji University: It can enhance the saltiness of the foods without changing the amount of salt in the mouth.

In order to try the effectiveness of the device, a reporter from Nippon TV tried some low sodium curry, and compared its flavor when using the device and a regular spoon.

S/ Asakura Kumiko, Nippon TV reporter: When I ate it with a regular spoon, I can taste the sweetness and smell the aroma of the curry, but it feels like it doesn’t have enough salt in it.

Compared to using the new device from Kirin Holdings…

S/ Asakura Kumiko, Nippon TV reporter: The curry tasted much saltier than before.

How does the device make things taste saltier even though the amount of salt hasn’t changed?

Sodium chloride, the main ingredient of table salt, transforms into sodium ions when it comes into contact with saliva.

These ions reacting with your taste buds allow people to taste saltiness.

When using the electric spoon, a weak current flows from the spoon and controls the sodium ions.

Since a larger number of the sodium ions were reacting with the taste buds, those that used the spoon said they could taste a much stronger salty flavor.

S/ Sato Ai, Developer, Kirin Holdings: We expect people to use it for all meals. Since you can choose the intensity from 4 levels, we would like you to choose the intensity you like on the spot according to your physical condition and the content of the meal you are eating at that time, just like adding salt at the dining table.

The product was developed so that people who are trying to reduce their sodium intake can still enjoy eating low sodium foods in their diet..

It is being sold for 19,800 yen in limited quantities at the official online store starting May 20.

Kirin says that new products such as bowls will also be developed in the future.