2021年经济学人 欧盟为可食用昆虫开绿灯

Europe

欧洲板块

Edible¹ insects

可食用昆虫

A bug's life

虫子的一生

The EU lets farm animals and people eat insects

欧盟允许家畜和人类吃昆虫

First it was pets, then fish. Now it's poultry² and pigs.

先是宠物，然后是鱼，现在轮到家禽和猪。

The list of animals allowed to feed on insects is growing.

以昆虫为食的动物种类越来越多。

A new EU law authorising the use of insect protein in poultry and pig feed came into force earlier this month, a significant milestone³ for an industry keen to worm its way into the animal-feed business.

本月初，一项允许在家禽和猪饲料中使用昆虫蛋白的新法律在欧盟生效。对于一个渴望进入动物饲料行业的行业来说，这是一个重要的里程碑。

Since a ban on processed animal protein was imposed in 2001 in the wake of the "mad cow" crisis, soy and fish meal have become the bedrock of animal feed in Europe.

2001年“疯牛病”危机爆发后，自此政府禁止加工动物蛋白，大豆和鱼粉成为欧洲制作动物饲料的主要来源。

But their production needs lots of space and can be harmful to the environment, so feed manufacturers are looking for alternatives.

但生产需要大量空间，对环境也不友好，所以饲料制造商正在寻找替代品。

Insects are just the ticket.

昆虫的出现正当时。

They are reared in vertical⁴ farms that require little land or water, and they can be fed on agricultural by-products or food waste such as rotting fruit and vegetables.

它们在少土少水的垂直农场中饲养，可以靠农副产品或食物残渣（如腐烂的水果和蔬菜）为食。

They're also a natural fit. Most wild fish, birds and pigs eat insects.

和动物饲料简直是天作之合。大多数的野生鱼类、鸟类和猪都吃昆虫。

The one thing going against them is price: insect protein is two to three times more expensive than fishmeal, and many times pricierthan soy.

美中不足的是价格：昆虫蛋白的价格比鱼粉高出2到3倍，比大豆高出好几倍。

Scaling up production may help reduce the disparity.

或许扩大产量有助于缩小差距。

Rabobank, a Dutch lender, predicts that global insect production will reach 500,000 tonnes a year by 2030, up from just 10,000 tonnes currently, and that prices will tumble.

荷兰合作银行预测，到2030年，每年全球昆虫的产量将从目前的1万吨增加至50万吨，价格也将大幅下降。

Insect companies have worked hard on their pitch. Research suggests insects may be more than mere⁵ feed, boosting growth rates and immune systems as well as filling stomachs.

昆虫公司一直在努力推销自己的产品。研究表明，昆虫不止是饲料，除了填饱肚子外，它们还能够提高生长速度、增强免疫系统。

They also offer the prospect⁶ of a green, local protein.

它们开创了一种绿色的本地蛋白质的未来。

Poultry and pig feed are by farthe largest animal-feed markets, but they're more competitive than food for pets or fish.

目前家禽和猪饲料是最大的动物饲料市场，但比起宠物或鱼的饲料，它们的竞争也更大。

For that reason, says Antoine Hubert, ceo of YNSECT, a mealworm (beetle larvae) firm, insect protein will probably be used only in premium⁷ meat at first.

YNSECT是一家粉虫（甲虫幼虫）公司，其首席执行官安托万·休伯特表示，昆虫蛋白最初可能只会用于优质肉类。

This year the European Food Safety Agency has ruled that three species of insects (yellow mealworm, locusts⁸ and house crickets) are safe for humans to eat as well.

今年，欧洲食品安全局裁定，三种昆虫（黄粉虫、蝗虫和蟋蟀）对人类来说也是安全的。

Oddly, people seem less keen on the idea than chickens and pigs.

奇怪的是，人们对“吃虫”的热情似乎不如鸡和猪。

1 edible   

n.食品，食物；adj.可食用的

参考例句：

• Edible wild herbs kept us from dying of starvation.我们靠着野菜才没被饿死。
• This kind of mushroom is edible,but that kind is not.这种蘑菇吃得，那种吃不得。

2 poultry   

n.家禽，禽肉

参考例句：

• There is not much poultry in the shops. 商店里禽肉不太多。
• What do you feed the poultry on? 你们用什么饲料喂养家禽?

3 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

4 vertical   

adj.垂直的，顶点的，纵向的；n.垂直物，垂直的位置

参考例句：

• The northern side of the mountain is almost vertical.这座山的北坡几乎是垂直的。
• Vertical air motions are not measured by this system.垂直气流的运动不用这种系统来测量。

5 mere   

adj.纯粹的；仅仅，只不过

参考例句：

• That is a mere repetition of what you said before.那不过是重复了你以前讲的话。
• It's a mere waste of time waiting any longer.再等下去纯粹是浪费时间。

6 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

7 premium   

n.加付款；赠品；adj.高级的；售价高的

参考例句：

• You have to pay a premium for express delivery.寄快递你得付额外费用。
• Fresh water was at a premium after the reservoir was contaminated.在水库被污染之后，清水便因稀而贵了。

8 locusts   

n.蝗虫( locust的名词复数 )；贪吃的人；破坏者；槐树

参考例句：

• a swarm of locusts 一大群蝗虫
• In no time the locusts came down and started eating everything. 很快蝗虫就飞落下来开始吃东西，什么都吃。 来自《简明英汉词典》