This electric fork could help you cut down on salt by zapping your tongue

If you’re worried about the amount of salt you eat on a daily basis, this futuristic fork may just be the invention for you.

This week, a pop-up ‘no salt restaurant’ opened in Tokyo on a two-day trial, serving its patrons a sodium-free, five-course meal alongside an ‘electro fork’ that can send a salty taste your taste buds at the push of a button.

The restaurant concept was designed ‘for patients with high blood pressure, who normally cannot eat foods with high salt content’, according to its website.

The fork’s salty taste works via a current generated by the utensil, and the fork is able to mimic sour, bitter and metallic taste sensations. However, there's bad news for those looking to cut down on their sugar intake, as sweetness has proven difficult to reproduce.

The cutlery was developed by researchers at Tokyo University and the restaurant is popping up in the Higashi-Azabu district.

The device, which cost researchers only £12 (Y2,000) to make, is based on the fact that a human tongues feels salty or sour when electricity is applied to it.

The fork, which can run for six hours without charging, has three levels of electrical current, with different degrees of saltiness or sourness apparent depending on the eater’s age and normal dietary habits - although it's not yet known if the fork's electronic current is a potential healthy and safety hazard.

The guilt-free technology is likely to benefit those who are required to eliminate salt from their diet for medical reasons - too much salt can raise your blood pressure, which puts you at increased risk of health problems such as heart disease and stroke.

The NHS recommends that adults should eat no more than 6g of salt a day – that's around one teaspoon, and children should eat less.

Unfortunately for salt-lovers who are trying to cut back, the fork isn't available for retail, so you'll only get to try it if you happen to be in Japan - but here’s hoping it makes its way to London soon.

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