Electric chopsticks on the way to enhance taste

TOKYO - Japanese researchers have developed computerized chopsticks that enhance salty tastes, potentially helping those who need to reduce sodium in their diets.

Codeveloped by Meiji University professor Homei Miyashita and beverage maker Kirin Holdings, the chopsticks enhance tastes using electrical stimulation and a mini computer worn on a wristband.

The device uses a weak electrical current to transmit sodium ions from food through the chopsticks to the mouth where they create a sense of saltiness, Miyashita said.

"As a result, the salty taste enhances 1.5 times," he said.

Miyashita and his lab have explored various ways that technology can interact with and stimulate human sensory experiences. He has also developed a lickable TV screen that can imitate various food flavors.

The taste-enhancing chopsticks may have particular relevance in Japan, where the traditional diet favors salty tastes. The average Japanese adult consumes about 10 grams of salt per day, double the amount recommended by the World Health Organization.

Excess sodium intake is related to increased incidence of high blood pressure, stroke and other ailments.

"To prevent these diseases, we need to reduce the amount of salt we take," said Kirin researcher Ai Sato.

Miyashita and Kirin are refining their chopstick prototype and hope to commercialize them as early as next year.

Agencies via Xinhua