2022年12月18日 VOA慢速英语：公司开发技术来处理食物垃圾

 

Restaurants, farmers, and food businesses are turning to chemistry and physics to deal with the problem of food waste.
餐馆、农民和食品企业正在转向化学和物理学来处理食物浪费问题。
 
Some companies are testing coverings to slow the ripening process in fruit and packets to keep food fresh. Others are developing digital sensors that can tell when meat is safe to eat.
一些公司正在测试覆盖物以减缓水果和包装的成熟过程以保持食物新鲜。其他人正在开发可以判断肉类何时可以安全食用的数字传感器。
 
Background
背景

Experts say growing awareness of the costs of food waste has led to more efforts to deal with the problem. ReFed is a group that studies food waste. It says new businesses have raised $300 billion in 2021, double the amount raised in 2020, to deal with the problem.
专家表示，人们越来越意识到食物浪费的代价，因此采取了更多措施来解决这个问题。ReFed 是一个研究食物浪费的组织。它表示，新企业在 2021 年筹集了 3000 亿美元，是 2020 年筹集资金的两倍，以解决这个问题。
 
The group estimates that in 2019, around 35 percent of food available in the U.S. — worth about $418 billion — went unsold or uneaten. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency says that food waste is the largest kind of material placed in local waste areas. And the agency notes that rotting food releases methane, a gas that is not good for the environment.
该组织估计，2019 年，美国约有 35% 的食品（价值约 4180 亿美元）未售出或未被食用。美国环境保护署表示，食物垃圾是当地垃圾区放置的最大的一种物质。该机构指出，腐烂的食物会释放出甲烷，这是一种对环境不利的气体。
 
ReFed estimates 225,000 kilograms of food could be kept out of waste areas each year with special, high-tech coverings.
ReFed 估计，通过特殊的高科技覆盖物，每年可以避免 225,000 公斤食物进入垃圾区。
 
Many companies are working on ways to help reduce food waste.
许多公司正在研究帮助减少食物浪费的方法。
 
Sweden-based Innoscentia is developing a sensor that can show if meat is safe to eat by measuring the buildup of microbes inside its container. And Ryp Labs, based in the U.S. and Belgium, is working on a sticker for fruits and vegetables that would release gas to slow ripening.
总部位于瑞典的 Innoscentia 正在开发一种传感器，该传感器可以通过测量容器内微生物的积累来显示肉类是否可以安全食用。位于美国和比利时的 Ryp Labs 正在研究一种用于水果和蔬菜的贴纸，这种贴纸可以释放气体以延缓成熟。
 
SavrPak has developed a plant-based packet that can fit inside a container and take in moisture, helping keep the food inside hotter and crispier.
SavrPak 开发了一种植物基包装，可以装在容器内并吸收水分，帮助保持里面的食物更热更脆。
 
Issues
问题

But the cost can be a barrier for some companies and shoppers. Kroger, the largest food-store company in the U.S., ended its deal with Apeel Sciences this year. The deal ended because Kroger said shoppers were not willing to pay more for fruits with Apeel's special covering to keep them fresh.
但成本可能成为一些公司和购物者的障碍。美国最大的食品商店公司克罗格今年结束了与 Apeel Sciences 的交易。这笔交易结束了，因为克罗格表示，购物者不愿意为带有 Apeel 特殊覆盖物以保持新鲜的水果支付更多费用。
 
Apeel says its special covering is made of common food additives. It says treated avocados can last a few extra days, while treated oranges can last for several weeks. The company says that it continues to talk to Kroger about other future technology.
Apeel 表示，其特殊的覆盖物是由常见的食品添加剂制成的。它说经过处理的牛油果可以多保存几天，而经过处理的橙子可以保存几周。该公司表示，它继续与克罗格讨论其他未来技术。
 
Another big issue is how to deal with different care requirements for different kinds of food to prevent waste.
另一个大问题是如何处理不同种类食物的不同护理要求，以防止浪费。
 
"There is no one major change that can improve the situation," said Randy Beaudry of Michigan State University's school of agriculture.
密歇根州立大学农学院的 Randy Beaudry 说：“没有任何重大变化可以改善这种情况。”
 
Beaudry said the complexity of the issue has caused some food waste projects to fail. He added that it is also hard to sort out which technology works best since new companies do not always share data with outside researchers.
Beaudry 说，这个问题的复杂性导致一些食物垃圾项目失败了。他补充说，也很难找出哪种技术最有效，因为新公司并不总是与外部研究人员共享数据。
 
Some companies find it better to use proven technology in new ways.
一些公司发现以新的方式使用成熟的技术会更好。
 
For example, Chicago-based Hazel Technologies has been selling a chemical compound, called 1-MCP, that is used in a room to slow the ripening process in fruit. The company now sells packets that can slowly release 1-MCP into small containers of fruits.
例如，总部位于芝加哥的 Hazel Technologies 一直在销售一种名为 1-MCP 的化合物，该化合物在室内用于减缓水果的成熟过程。该公司现在销售可以将 1-MCP 缓慢释放到小水果容器中的包装。
 
Mike Mazie oversees BelleHarvest, a large apple packing facility in Belding, Michigan. He ordered around 3,000 of the packets this year to use for apples that could not fit inside rooms treated with the compound.
Mike Mazie 负责监督 BelleHarvest，这是一家位于密歇根州贝尔丁的大型苹果包装厂。他今年订购了大约 3,000 包，用于装不下经过该化合物处理的房间的苹果。
 
"If you can get another week out of a bushel of apples, why wouldn't you?" he said. "It absolutely makes a difference.
“如果你能从一蒲式耳的苹果中得到另一个星期，你为什么不呢？” 他说。“这绝对会有所作为。
 
The science is promising, but it is only part of the solution, said Yvette Cabrera. She is the director of food waste for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
科学是有前途的，但这只是解决方案的一部分，Yvette Cabrera 说。她是自然资源保护委员会的食物垃圾主管。
 
Most food waste happens at home, she said. Reducing food sizes, buying smaller quantities, or improving the accuracy of freshness date could have even more effects than new technology.
她说，大多数食物浪费都发生在家里。减少食物的份量、减少购买量或提高新鲜日期的准确性可能比新技术产生更大的影响。
 
"Overall as a society, we don't value food as it should be valued," Cabrera said.
“总的来说，作为一个社会，我们不重视食物，因为它应该被重视，”卡布雷拉说。