Japan Firm Develops 'Magic Tableware' That Makes Food Saltier Through Electricity

While looking for interesting business news, Kiyohiro Akama of Mainichi Shimbun discovered "magic tableware" that can change the taste of food. “I was initially skeptical, but went to see if such a thing was really possible,” he wrote for the newspaper.

Photo Insert: The development of "magic tableware" dates back to about five years ago.

“I visited beverage giant Kirin Holdings Co.'s headquarters in Tokyo, the company behind the sorcery. After being asked to try miso soup, I took a sip that was poured into a bowl. It tasted a little bland and nothing special. Next, I was told to turn on the power on the bowl, which I did, and took another sip. It clearly tasted saltier and was just perfect for me,” he reported.

Kirin developer Ai Sato kindly explained, "Your taste buds have not changed. We use the power of electricity to control the movement of sodium ions in the miso soup, making it easier to sense saltiness."

Sato is a researcher at the company's health science division.

The development of "magic tableware" dates back to about five years ago. At the time, she was working on another research project in collaboration with a university hospital, and heard doctors and nurses complain that even though they instructed their patients to reduce salt intake, it was hard to get them to continue eating lightly flavored meals.

The salt intake of Japanese people is high even by world standards.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare sets the daily intake target at less than 7.5 grams for adult men and 6.5 grams for adult women, but in reality, both men and women continue to exceed those targets by more than 2 grams.

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