［Health Science domain］
Kirin Launches New "Electric Salt Cup" and Updgraded Spoon to Support Delicious Low-Sodium Diets
Revolutionizing Low-Sodium Foods with Electrically Enhanced Taste and Umami
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- Products and Services
- Research and Technology
September 09, 2025
Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
TOKYO, Sep 9, 2025 – Kirin Holdings Company, Limited (Kirin) today announced the launch of two news products in its Health Science business. These products include the “Electric Salt Cup”, a new addition to the Electric Salt series, and a renewed version of the “Electric Salt Spoon”, both designed to enhance the taste and umami of low-sodium foods using electrical stimulation*1. Both items will be available in Japan starting September 9 via the official online store (https://electricsalt.shop.kirin.co.jp/). Retail sales at select lifestyle and electronics stores are scheduled to begin in November.
1 The 3rd Neurostimulation Interface Research Meeting. March 2023
"Influence on umami taste of the electric taste waveform that intensifies the saltiness of low-sodium foods"
There are individual differences in experience. Also, the feeling may vary depending on the dish.
Product Development Driven by Customer Feedback
∙ The "Electric Salt" series is a line of tableware-type devices developed under the concept of "a life with delicious food for all people.” These products aim to address social issues of excessive salt intake while meeting customer needs for flavorful, low-sodium meals. In response to feedback from individuals reducing their salt intake, such as “I want to enjoy ramen and other rich-flavored dishes as a special treat” and “I want to keep enjoying the soups I’ve always loved,” we designed tableware that’s easy to use at home and suited to everyday menu items.
∙ The first product, the “Electric Salt Spoon,” was launched in May 2024*2. Following its release, we developed the “Electric Salt Cup” to meet requests for alternative formats besides spoons, especially from users who prefer drinking soup directly. We also developed an upgraded version of the “Electric Salt Spoon”, enhancing both functionality and user experience. Based on customer feedback, we introduced improvements such as a smaller spoon tip, dishwasher compatibility, and more intuitive usability.
2 Kirin Holdings will begin online sales of "Electric Salt Spoon", a spoon that uses electricity to enhance salty and umami taste, on May 20. | 2024 | KIRIN - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited The “Electric Salt Spoon (ES-S001)” released in May 2024 is discontinued.
Product Features (“Electric Salt Cup,” “Electric Salt Spoon”)
∙ By combining YA-MAN LTD. (President: Kimiyo Yamazaki) expertise in beauty device manufacturing and electronics design technology with Kirin's Institute for Packaging Innovation's equipment development and evaluation techniques, we achieved stable current flow with natural hand movements and made the products dishwasher-safe.
∙ The design was carefully crafted to blend seamlessly into everyday dining settings, making it both functional and aesthetically pleasing.
Future development of "Electric Salt"
∙ We will continue to expand the “Electric Salt” product lineup, while also advancing the development of electric taste technologies that go beyond enhancing saltiness and umami. The goal is to help people enjoy a wider variety of meals and address broader dietary challenges, not just salt reduction.
∙ Looking ahead to solving global food-related issues, we aim to launch Electric Salt in Asian markets by 2026. With global expansion in mind, the company will also focus on Japan’s aging population by promoting innovations in food tech, health tech, and age tech, offering products and ideas that make healthy eating more delicious and enjoyable.
Product Features
Product
*This product is not a medical device.
| 1．Product name | Electric Salt Cup |
|---|---|
| 2．Dimensions | Approx. W101 x D130 x H88 (mm) |
| 3．Weight | Approx. 186g (excluding batteries) |
| 4．Power Supply | 3V lithium coin battery (CR2032) |
| 5．Price | 26,950 yen (tax included) |
| 6．Features | A weak electric current is passed from the tip of the spoon to the food to enhance the taste of the meal*, including salty and umami taste. The design has been completely revamped to fit the cup, making it smaller and dishwasher-safe. ※There are individual differences in experience. Also, the feeling may vary depending on the dish. |
| 7．How to use | Turn the power on with the switch located on the side of the cup, select the desired intensity (3 levels), and use the cup as you would a regular cup. |
| 8．Details | https://electricsalt.shop.kirin.co.jp/page/cup ※There are certain conditions under which this product may not be used (e.g. minors and persons fitted with a pacemaker or other medical electrical device). Please check the "Safety Precautions" on the official online store or on the product box. |
| 9．Recommendation | It can be used with everyday soups, noodles, and similar dishes. |
| 1．Product name | Electric Salt Spoon |
|---|---|
| 2．Dimensions | Approx. W39 x D201 x H28 (mm) |
| 3．Weight | Approx. 57g (excluding batteries) |
| 4．Power Supply | 3V lithium coin battery (CR2032) |
| 5．Price | 24,750 yen (tax included) |
| 6．Features | A weak electric current flows from the electrode at the tip of the spoon into the food, enhancing flavors* such as saltiness and umami. The design has been completely revamped to match the cup, making it more compact and dishwasher-safe. ※There are individual differences in experience. Also, the feeling may vary depending on the dish. |
| 7．How to use | Turn the power on with the switch on the handle of the spoon, select the desired intensity (3 levels), and use the spoon as you would a regular spoon. |
| 8．Details | https://electricsalt.shop.kirin.co.jp/page/spoon ※There are certain conditions under which this product may not be used (e.g. minors and persons fitted with a pacemaker or other medical electrical device). Please check the "Safety Precautions" on the official online store or on the product box. |
| 9．Recommendation | It can be used with hearty soups and curries, fried rice and rice bowls, as a substitute for a ramen spoon, and for a wide variety of other meals. |
Sales Method
∙ Tuesday, September 9, 12:30 p.m., available at official Online Store https://electricsalt.shop.kirin.co.jp/
∙ Starting November, available at retail stores such as “Hands” and “Bic Camera”, both in-store and online *Participating stores and sales methods to be determined
Technologies incorporated in “Electric Salt”
“Electric Salt” is equipped with technology*3 that enhances the salty taste perceived when eating low-sodium foods by approximately 1.5 times*4. The technology was developed through joint research with the Meiji University Dr. Homei Miyashita Laboratory of the Department of Frontier Media Science, School of Interdisciplinary Mathematical Sciences (Miyashita Laboratory).
3 A World First! Research Confirms Perceived Taste Change Via Electric Stimulation, Leading to Development of ‘Taste-Adjusting Chopsticks’ | 2022 | KIRIN - Kirin Holdings Company, Limited
4 Change value of evaluation regarding saltiness intensity in a sample that imitates ordinary food and a sample with 30% less salt. Tested using chopsticks equipped with Electric Salt technology (current 0.1~0.5 mA). Thirty-one men and women aged 40-65 years who are/were currently or have been reducing salt in the past were asked about the saltiness intensity they perceived when eating the test food, and 29 of the 31 respondents answered that the saltiness had increased.
Sales Status and Awards
∙ The “Electric Salt Spoon (ES-S001)” has seen remarkable success since its launch in May 2024, with orders receiving more than seven times the initial forecast within just seven months. It gained attention not only among those pursuing low-sodium diets but also as a thoughtful gift for family and friends. In December 2024, a collaboration with Hakata-based ramen shop “Ippudo” offered an opportunity to enjoy delicious, reduced-salt ramen.
∙ To date, Electric Salt's business, technology, and products have been recognized both domestically and internationally, winning seven awards in Japan and the “CES Innovation Awards® 2025”*5, the world's largest technology exhibition.
About Kirin Holdings
(Food & Beverages businesses), Pharmaceuticals domain (Pharmaceuticals businesses), and Health Science domain (Health Science business), both in Japan and across the globe.
Kirin Holdings can trace its roots to Japan Brewery which was established in 1885. Japan Brewery became Kirin Brewery in 1907. Since then, the company expanded its business with fermentation and biotechnology as its core technologies, and entered the pharmaceutical business in the 1980s, all of which continue to be global growth centers. In 2007, Kirin Holdings was established as a pure holding company and is currently focusing on boosting its Health Science domain.
Under the Kirin Group Vision 2027 (KV 2027), a long-term management plan launched in 2019, the Kirin Group aims to become “A global leader in CSV*, creating value across our world of Food & Beverages to Pharmaceuticals.” Going forward, the Kirin Group will continue to leverage its strengths to create both social and economic value through its businesses, with the aim of achieving sustainable growth in corporate value.
*: Creating Shared Value. Combined added value for consumers as well as for society at large.