Hope you are aware of Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) technology, a non-thermal food preservation method that uses short bursts of high-voltage electricity to inactivate microorganisms and enzymes, thereby extending the shelf life and safety of food products without the need for high temperatures. Similarly, below is another use case of electronics in the field of taste.
Researchers from Japan have been working on the issue of excessive salt intake, which is a potential cause of many diseases. The practical solution could be reducing salt, but it’s quite difficult. After extensive research, they recently introduced new electric salt technology that uses a weak electric current to enhance the taste of meals, particularly increasing the salty and umami tastes without adding any extra components. It enhances the saltiness perception to the taste buds, so the result might differ from person to person and dish to dish.
Yes, it is real, and the company KIRIN HOLDINGS, the maker of this product Electric Salt. Has conducted surveys to prove the concept works. In the above image, you can see an employee of Kirin Holdings demonstrating the electric salt spoon. It is made of plastic, with circuitry embedded inside. The entire circuit is powered by a 3V CR2 battery. According to the maker, this product is not recommended for minors and persons fitted with a pacemaker or other medical electrical devices.
Actually, there is no detailed hardware or software explanation of this project. But once it enters the market, the electronics enthusiast community might reveal the internal workings and details. At that time, we will be able to learn more about this technology.
