考研英語美文賞讀（14）：新神器：可以改變食物味道的電子筷！

　　摘要：考研英語作為一門考研公共課，雖然大家都學了英語十幾年，卻仍經(jīng)常有總分過線掛在英語上的情況，因此英語復習不單單是單詞、做題。閱讀作為考研英語的大頭，僅僅做考研真題或許沒法滿足你的閱讀量，因此幫幫之后會不定時推出一篇英文美文，這些文章都與考研英語閱讀同源，多讀必有好處。

　　?Cutlery which delivers an electric shock to change the taste of food could help cut down salt in fast food， researchers have said.

　　研究人員表示，通過電擊改變食物味道的餐具，有助于降低快餐含鹽量。

　　Scientists have developed a pair of chopsticks， that can make food taste saltier， sour or bitter without the need for extra seasoning.

　　科學家研究出了一雙能讓食物嘗起來更咸、更酸或更苦的筷子，無需增加調(diào)味料用量。

　　They are also working on a spoon and fork that could make food taste spicier or sweeter.

　　他們還在研究能讓食物嘗起來更辣或更甜的勺子和叉子。

　　This "digital seasoning" technology could allow diners to tinker with the taste of their food as they eat so it suits them.

　　這種“數(shù)字調(diào)味料”技術能讓用餐者在進食時調(diào)整食物口味，以滿足自己的要求。

　　It could also help food manufacturers and restaurants to reduce the amount of salt they put into food without compromising taste.

　　它也有助于幫助食品制造商和餐館在不影響口味的情況下減少食物中鹽的用量。

　　The utensils work by delivering pulses of electricity to the tip of the tongue to stimulate the taste buds.

　　這種餐具的原理是向舌尖發(fā)送電脈沖，刺激味蕾。

　　Dr Nimesha Ranasinghe， an assistant professor of computer science at the University of Maine who led the work on the electric cutlery， said："This technology is aimed at overlaying a virtual taste sensation. Depending on the food or beverage， it will augment the flavor.

　　緬因大學計算機科學助理教授尼梅沙·拉納辛哈博士領導了這項電子餐具工作，他說：“這項技術是為了附加虛擬味覺。它會根據(jù)不同的食物或飲料增加風味。”

　　"For example， when we eat mashed potato by applying an additional layer of electric salt， the overall flavor is enhanced."

　　“例如，如果你在食用土豆泥時額外增加一層電子鹽，整體味道就會得到加強。”

　　Some Chinese takeaway food and ready meals were recently found to contain up to 11 times more salt than a bag of crisps - more than half an adults daily allowance. Salt is known to be linked to serious health problems like heart disease and stroke.

　　一些中餐外賣食物和速食被發(fā)現(xiàn)含鹽量是一袋薯片的11倍還多——超過成人每日推薦鹽攝入量的一半。已知鹽與心臟病和中風等嚴重健康問題有關。

　　But using a pair of electric chopsticks could help cut salt levels without leaving it tasting bland， said Dr Ranasinghe.

　　拉納辛哈博士稱，使用一雙電子筷子有助于減少用鹽量，同時食物吃起來又不會寡淡無味。

　　The technology， which Dr Ranasinghe initially developed while at the University of Singapore， works by installing two electrodes into each chopstick or the end of a spoon.

　　拉納辛哈博士最初于新加坡開始這項技術的研究，該技術在每根筷子上或勺子頭上安裝兩個電極。

　　These send a weak current through the tip of the tongue when they touch it to stimulate the taste buds.

　　這使它們在接觸舌頭時向舌尖發(fā)出微弱電流，刺激味蕾。

　　By controlling the frequency， amplitude and strength of the electric current， the researchers can stimulate either sourness， saltiness and bitterness. They say up to 80% of people experience changes in saltiness and sourness with the devices and 70% can sense changes in bitterness.

　　研究人員可通過控制電流的頻率、幅度和強度刺激酸味、咸味和苦味等味覺。他們表示，80%的人可通過這一裝置感受到咸味和酸味變化，70%的人可感受到苦味變化。

　　Dr Ranasinghe， whose work is published in the journal Food Research International， initially developed a fork that could replicate saltiness but has since developed a spoon， chopsticks and a soup bowl that can trigger all three tastes.

　　拉納辛哈博士的研究發(fā)表在《國際食品研究》雜志上，他最初開發(fā)了一款可以復制咸味的叉子，后來又研發(fā)了可以激發(fā)全部三種味道的勺子、筷子和湯碗。

　　He said he was also working on ways of replicating sweetness and spiciness by rapidly heating and cooling the tongue.

　　他說正在研究通過迅速加熱或冷卻舌頭復制甜味和辣味的方法。

　　It could lead to a spoon that allows desserts to taste sweet while having lower sugar levels or a fork that can give a curry extra heat without the need for extra chillies.

　　它還可能出現(xiàn)一種低糖含量下讓甜點吃起來更甜的勺子，或者無需過多辣椒而讓咖喱吃起來更辣的叉子。

　　Dr Ranasinghe said： "We have some early findings of simulating sweetness， a mint-cool sensation and hot or spicy sensations. But this thermal stimulation requires bulky heat sinks to accurately control."

　　拉納辛哈博士說：“我們在模擬甜味、薄荷涼味和熱辣味道方面取得了初步進展。但是這種熱量模擬方式需要精確控制大量熱量。”

　　He added further work was needed before this digital sugar and electric chilli powder could be added to utensils.

　　他補充說，這種數(shù)字糖和電子辣椒粉要想投入使用，仍需進一步研究。

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