Don’t pass the salt, these chopsticks are adding seasoning to your next meal thanks to tiny electro shockwaves.
It goes without saying that salt is the lifeblood of all seasonings. Bland mashed potato, boring caramel, the humble hot chip (we could go on…) are elevated to new heights with the wondrous addition of the humble salt shaker. Unfortunately though, excessive salt in your diet is a no-go for your general health, increasing your blood pressure, and consequently increasing your risk of heart disease. And yet here we are in 2018, tucking into more salt laden delicious foodstuffs than ever before.
What if we told you though that the humble chopsticks could impart this glorious salty goodness to your favourite meal, minus the health implications?
Assistant Professor and Director of the National University of Singapore, Nimesha Ranasinghe, is blowing minds across the globe with his newest tech creation. Ranasinghe has created a pair of chopsticks with electrodes embedded in the tips, sending electrical pulses to the tip of your tongue. The effect of these zapping chopsticks is that they’re artificially changing the flavour of food by triggering your tastebuds. Not only can these magical chopsticks make food taste saltier, but they can also amplify other flavours, making foods taste more sour and bitter.
Still haven’t worked out how to use chopsticks in adulthood? No problem. They are also working on a spoon and fork that could make food taste spicier or sweeter. They’re calling it ‘digital seasoning’ technology, and it’s causing quite a stir. Not only could you soon be walking down a path to better health, but food manufacturers and restaurants could also face lower spending costs on this highly sought after ingredient.
You won’t be seeing these chopsticks on any restaurant menus any time soon though, with the technology still in its very early stages. For the meantime, salt still trumps over all.
To read more about this epic chopstick technology, catch the full IEEE Spectrum Article here