Can Insects Feed the Future?

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1. 01Can Insects Feed the Future?

   Good afternoon, everyone. The world's population keeps growing, and producing enough protein is becoming a serious challenge. Today, I'd like to talk about a surprising possible answer: eating insects.

   大家午安。世界人口不斷增長，生產足夠的蛋白質正成為一個嚴峻的挑戰。今天，我想談談一個令人意外的可能答案：吃昆蟲。

2. 02Not as Strange as It Sounds

   For many of us, this sounds strange. But according to the United Nations, at least two billion people already eat insects as part of their normal diet, and more than one thousand nine hundred species are eaten around the world.

   對我們很多人來說，這聽起來很奇怪。但根據聯合國的資料，全世界至少有二十億人已經把昆蟲作為日常飲食的一部分，而且全球被食用的昆蟲超過一千九百種。

   Source: FAO, "Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security" (2013)

3. 03Efficient Food

   The main advantage is efficiency. According to the same report, insects can turn about two kilograms of feed into one kilogram of body weight on average, while cattle need about eight.

   最大的優點是效率高。根據同一份報告，昆蟲平均可以把大約兩公斤飼料轉化為一公斤體重，而牛則需要大約八公斤。

   Source: FAO, "Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security" (2013)

4. 04Good for Us, Too

   Insects can also be nutritious. Many kinds are rich in protein and contain healthy fats and minerals, similar to meat or fish.

   昆蟲也可以很有營養。很多種類富含蛋白質，還含有健康的脂肪和礦物質，和肉類或魚類差不多。

5. 05The "Yuck" Problem

   So why don't more people eat them? The biggest barrier is not science, but feelings. In many cultures, the idea of eating insects simply makes people say "yuck."

   那為什麼吃昆蟲的人沒有更多呢？最大的障礙不是科學，而是感受。在很多文化中，光是想到吃昆蟲，人們就會說「好惡心」。

6. 06Making Insects Easier to Accept

   One way to deal with this is to hide the insects. Some companies grind them into flour and use it in pasta, bread, or protein bars, so people don't see the insect at all.

   解決這個問題的一個辦法，就是把昆蟲藏起來。有些公司把昆蟲磨成粉，用在義大利麵、麵包或蛋白棒裡，這樣人們完全看不到昆蟲的樣子。

7. 07Rules Are Changing

   Governments are also paying attention. In 2021, the European Union approved dried yellow mealworms as a safe food for the first time.

   各國政府也開始關注。2021年，歐盟首次批准乾燥的黃粉蟲作為安全食品。

   Source: European Commission, approval of dried yellow mealworm as a novel food (2021)

8. 08Conclusion

   In conclusion, insects won't solve the world's food problems alone. But they are an efficient, nutritious option that deserves a place on our menu. Maybe one day, a cricket snack will seem completely normal. Thank you.

   總之，昆蟲不能單獨解決世界的糧食問題。但它們是一種高效又有營養的選擇，值得在我們的選單上佔有一席之地。也許有一天，蟋蟀零食會變得再平常不過。謝謝大家。