Photo: Kirin
If you need to cut down on your salt intake but miss the taste of salty food, Japanese food and beverage company Kirin Holdings created the Electric Salt Spoon. The battery-powered utensil went on sale in Japan in May 2024, but it plans to bring it to the North American market sometime in 2025. The company showcased it at CES 2025.
The Electric Salt Spoon uses a weak electric current to enhance the perceived saltiness of food. The spoon works by drawing sodium ions from the food to the tongue's taste buds. It operates on a 3-volt CR2 lithium battery and offers four intensity levels.
The first iteration of the utensil was a prototype pair of electric chopsticks Kirin created in collaboration with scientists from the Miyashita Laboratory at Japan's Meiji University.
The Electric Salt Spoon retails for 19,800 yen or roughly CA$180.