A new ‘Tasty Spoon’™ that aims to enhance food flavours for people living with dementia, is being developed by University of Sheffield researchers. The breakthrough technological aid uses electrostimulation to enhance flavour in patients with a loss of taste. It is hoped the spoon will help combat the high levels of malnutrition that people living with dementia can experience through their loss of taste.

The unique project has been awarded funding by Alzheimer’s Society through their Accelerator Programme to make the Tasty Spoon accessible and affordable. Around 50 million people worldwide live with dementia and this figure is expected to triple in the next 20 to 25 years.

A spoon, designed to enhance the flavour of food for dementia patients experiencing a loss of taste, could help combat high levels of malnutrition. The Tasty Spoon™ is a breakthrough technological aid, being developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield and University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC), to help people experiencing a loss of taste as a symptom of the neurological condition to maintain a level of healthy nutrition.

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, from the University of Sheffield’s Management School and Healthy Lifespan Institute has been leading the development of Tasty Spoon™. 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. In a heartfelt disclosure, an individual shared that he only ate toast for the past five years, as to him there’s no difference between toast and a regular Sunday roast.”

Dr Morgner is a senior lecturer in the field of creative technologies and has been working in the field of dementia studies and smart technologies to improve people’s lives over the past 15 years. His breakthrough technological aid uses electrostimulation to enhance flavour in patients with declined taste buds.

The rechargeable device resembles a traditional spoon and is easy to use unassisted. It is easy to clean, rechargeable; and researchers are considering the environmentally friendly ways and materials used to produce it. The spoon aims to help patients differentiate between different types of food and restore an enriching meal experience and will use available distribution channels already established for patients and carers.

Researchers at the University of Sheffield AMRC are designing and building a proof-of-concept prototype spoon that will incorporate the electronics needed to deliver the subtle electrostimulation to the user. They will also work with user groups to evaluate waveforms and frequencies used to determine if users can determine enhanced flavour through the Tasty Spoon.

Dr Morgner said: “Around 50 million people worldwide are living with dementia and this figure is going to triple in the next 20-25 years, so supporting people with dementia healthy and boosting their wellbeing and quality of life will become an ever increasing challenge. 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.”

Marcus Crossley, senior project manager, design, at the University of Sheffield AMRC, said: “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 unique Tasty Spoon™ project has partnered with Alzheimer’s Society through their 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 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.”