A new spoon to enhance the flavour of food for dementia patients experiencing a loss of taste is being developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield and the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre AMRC. 

The Tasty Spoon™ is a breakthrough technological aid looking to use electrostimulation to help people with taste loss, a symptom of the neurological condition, with the hope to maintain a level of healthy nutrition. 

Development of the aid is being led by the University of Sheffield, drawing on the design and prototyping expertise of engineers from the AMRC to create the spoon.

 Pictured above: A mock-up of what the Tasty Spoon™ could look like. 

Having dementia can cause a decline of working taste buds which can lead to people not eating sufficient amounts of the right foods, or by eating more salt and sugar to compensate for the loss of flavour. This can lead to high levels of malnutrition or an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.

Dr Christian Morgner, of the University of Sheffield’s Management School and Healthy Lifespan Institute, is leading the development of Tasty Spoon and has been working in the field of dementia studies and smart technologies to improve people’s lives for more than 15 years. 

He said: “A loss of taste can remove the enjoyment of food which impacts patient wellbeing as food plays such a significant role in our lives. This is especially prevalent in patients who live alone or in public care homes with more generalised nutrition.

“The development of a technological aid like the Tasty Spoon™ has the potential to rekindle the pleasure of eating for those facing taste-related challenges and therefore contribute to better health as well as mitigating the expense of treating the side-effects of poor nutrition for the NHS.”

The rechargeable device will resemble a traditional spoon and is set to be easy to use unassisted and simple to clean. The spoon will look to help patients differentiate between different types of food and restore an enriching meal experience and aims to use established distribution channels for patients and carers. 

Research engineers at the AMRC are bringing their design and prototyping knowledge and skills to the project by developing a proof-of-concept prototype spoon that will incorporate the electronics needed to deliver the subtle electrostimulation to the user – alongside considering environmentally-friendly materials and production methods.

They will also work with user groups to evaluate waveforms and frequencies to see if users can determine enhanced flavour through the Tasty Spoon™ – as well as determining the optimum positioning of the electrodes that will be embedded in the spoon.  

Marcus Crossley, senior project manager in the design and prototyping group at the AMRC, said the engineers are very excited to be working in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Society and Management School to develop the initial Tasty Spoon™ prototype devices. 

He added: “Working closely with people living with dementia will enable us to evaluate and refine functional and inclusivity aspects of the aid, with the goal of enhancing people’s quality of life.”

The project has been funded by the Alzheimer’s Society through its Accelerator Programme – designed to support people to boost new dementia products and innovations to market – to work on the commercialisation of the Tasty Spoon™, making it accessible and affordable for people living with dementia.

Simon Lord, head of innovation at the Alzheimer’s Society, said: “A healthy, balanced diet can help improve a person’s quality of life. However, common symptoms of dementia, such as memory loss and difficulties with thinking and problem-solving, can make it more difficult to eat and drink well. That’s why we’re excited about the possibility Tasty Spoon™ presents in improving the taste and enjoyment of food and subsequently improving the health and nutrition of people living with dementia.”

He added: “Innovations like this are vital as they focus on enriching daily experiences and improving health and well-being. The Alzheimer's Society’s Accelerator Programme is dedicated to funding tech-based solutions such as Tasty Spoon™, reaffirming our commitment to improving lives through innovative new products. Tasty Spoon™ is a unique product, and we cannot wait to help get it into the hands of people living with dementia.”