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SarahTracy_MSG_2020E-
In 1968, Dr. Robert Ho Man Kwok felt ill after dinner at a Chinese restaurant. 1968 年,郭浩民医生在中国餐厅 吃过晚餐之后感到不适。
He wrote a letter detailing his symptoms to a prestigious medical journal , pondering whether his illness had resulted from eating monosodium glutamate— also known as MSG. 他写信给一份很有名望的医学期刊, 说明他的症状细节, 怀疑他的不适是不是因为 吃了麸胺酸钠, 也就是味精。
Kwok’s connection between his headache and this common seasoning in American Chinese cuisine was just a hunch . 郭医生认为他的头痛 和这种美国中式料理 常用调味料有关,
But his letter would dramatically change the world's relationship with MSG, inspiring international panic , biased science, and sensationalist journalism for the next 40 years. 但他的信却大大改变了 世界和味精的关系, 不但引起国际恐慌,并助长了偏颇的科学及耸动的新闻, 影响持续四十年之久。
symptoms:n.症状;征候;征兆;(symptom的复数) prestigious:adj.有名望的;享有声望的; journal:n.杂志;日记;日志;(用于报纸名)…报; pondering:v.沉思;考虑;琢磨;(ponder的现在分词) monosodium:n.味精;谷氨酸钠; cuisine:n.烹饪,烹调法; hunch:n.预感;大块;肉峰;v.耸肩;预感到;弯腰驼背;隆起; dramatically:adv.戏剧地;引人注目地;adv.显著地,剧烈地; inspiring:adj.鼓舞人心的;灌输的;v.鼓舞;激发;使感悟;(inspire的现在分词) panic:adj.恐慌的;n.惊恐;恐慌;惶恐不安;v.惊慌失措; biased:adj.有偏见的;结果偏倚的,有偏的; sensationalist:n.感觉论者; journalism:n.新闻业,新闻工作;报章杂志;
So what is this mysterious seasoning? 所以这种神秘的调味料是什么？
Where does it come from, and is it actually bad for you? 它从何而来？对人体真的不好吗？
MSG is a mixture of two simple molecules . 味精是由两种简单的成分组成:
Sodium, which is well-established as an essential part of our diet, and glutamate , a very common amino acid found in numerous plant and animal proteins . 钠,已公认是饮食中 很重要的一部分; 以及麸胺酸,很常见的胺基酸, 在许多植物和动物蛋白质中都有。
mysterious:adj.神秘的;不可思议的;难解的; mixture:n.混合;结合体;混合物;集合体; molecules:n.[化学]分子,微粒;[化学]摩尔(molecule的复数); well-established:adj.得到确认的; v.已确立起来; (well-establish的过去分词); essential:n.要点;要素;实质;必需品;adj.完全必要的;必不可少的;极其重要的;本质的; glutamate:n.[生化]谷氨酸盐;[生化]谷氨酸酯; amino acid:n.氨基酸; numerous:adj.许多的,很多的; proteins:n.[生化]蛋白质(protein复数);
Glutamate plays a key role in our digestion , muscle function, and immune system . 在我们的消化、 肌肉功能,及免疫系统中, 麸胺酸盐都扮演了关键的角色。
Around the time of Dr. Kwok's letter, it had been identified as an important part of our brain chemistry. 在郭医生写信的那个时期, 麸胺酸盐一直被视为 脑部化学机制的重要元素。
Our body produces enough glutamate for all these processes , but the molecule is also present in our diet. 我们的身体会产生足够的麸胺酸盐 来应付这些生化反应, 但这种能加强食物风味的分子
digestion:n.消化;领悟; muscle:n.肌肉;力量;v.加强;使劲搬动;使劲挤出; immune system:n.免疫系统; identified:v.确认;认出;找到;发现;说明身份;(identify的过去式和过去分词) processes:n.过程; v.处理(process的第三人称单数形式);
You can taste its signature savory flavor in foods like mushrooms, cheese, tomatoes, and broth . 也会出现在我们的饮食中, 包括香菇、起士、蕃茄、高汤。
Chasing this rich flavor is what led to MSG’s invention in 1908. 对这种丰富口味的追求, 在 1908 年促成了味精的发明。
A Japanese chemist named Dr. Ikeda Kikunae was trying to isolate the molecule responsible for a unique flavor 日本化学家池田菊苗 试图将这种口味独特的分子分离出来,
signature:n.署名;签名;信号; savory:adj.可口的;风味极佳的;味美的;n.开胃菜;香薄荷; flavor:n.情味,风味;香料;滋味;v.加味于; broth:n.肉汤;液体培养基; chemist:n.化学家;药剂师;药房;化学师; isolate:v.孤立; n.[微]分离菌; responsible:adj.负责的,可靠的;有责任的; unique:adj.独特的,稀罕的;[数]唯一的;n.独一无二的人或物;
Today, umami is recognized as one of the five basic tastes in food science . 现今,在食物科学中,
Each basic taste is produced by unique molecular mechanisms that can’t be replicated by combining other known tastes. 每一种基本口味都是由 专属的分子机制产生, 无法透过混合其他已知的味道来复制。
In the case of umami, those mechanisms arise when we cook or ferment certain foods, breaking down their proteins and releasing amino acids like glutamate. 至于旨味, 某些食物在烹煮或发酵时, 就会产生那些机制, 分解其中的蛋白质,释放出胺基酸,比如麸胺酸。
umami:n.鲜味;咸和鲜; recognized:v.认识;认出;辨别出;承认;意识到;(recognize的过去分词和过去式) food science:n.食品科学(研究食品成分、对身体的作用及加工和贮存方法等); molecular:adj.[化学]分子的;由分子组成的; mechanisms:n.机制;[机]机构(mechanism的复数);机械;[机]机构学; replicated:重复的; arise:v.出现;发生;产生;起身; ferment:n.发酵;酵素;动乱;vi.发酵;动乱;vt.使发酵;酝酿;使动乱; releasing:n.释放;松释动作;脱扣释放;v.释放;排放;(release的现在分词);
But Ikeda found a savory shortcut to producing this chemical reaction . 但池田发现了一种 可以产生这种化学反应的美味捷径,
By isolating high quantities of glutamate from a bowl of noodle broth and combining them with another flavor enhancer like sodium, he created a seasoning that instantly increased the umami of any dish. 做法是从一碗拉面高汤中 分离出大量的麸胺酸, 把它们和另一种 味道强化剂结合,比如钠, 如此创造出的调味料
shortcut:n.近路;捷径;快捷方式(图标); chemical:n.化学制品,化学药品;adj.化学的; reaction:n.反应,感应;反动,复古;反作用; isolating:adj.孤立的;绝缘的;v.使隔离;使绝缘(isolate的ing形式); quantities:n.数量;数目;大量;大宗;(quantity的复数) enhancer:n.[遗]增强子;强化剂;增加者;
The result was a major success. 结果大获成功。
By the 1930s, MSG was a kitchen staple across most of Asia; and by the mid-20th century, it could be found in commercial food production worldwide . 到了 1930 年代,味精成了 亚洲多数地区的厨房必备调味料; 到了二十世纪中, 它已经被用于世界各地的 商業食品制造。
So when Dr. Kwok's letter was published, the outrage was immediate. 所以,郭医生的信件刊登出来后,
Researchers and citizens demanded a scientific enquiry into the popular additive . 研究者和人民要求 对这种广为使用的 添加物进行科学调查。
On one hand , this wasn’t unreasonable . 一方面,这并非不合理。
staple:n.主要产品; adj.主要的,常用的; v.把…分级; commercial:adj.贸易的;商业的;赢利的;以获利为目的的;n.(电台或电视播放的)广告; worldwide:adj.全世界的;adv.在世界各地; outrage:n.愤怒,愤慨;暴行;侮辱;vt.凌辱,强奸;对…施暴行;激起愤怒; scientific:adj.科学的,系统的; enquiry:n.[计]询问,[贸易]询盘; additive:n.添加剂,添加物;adj.附加的;[数]加法的; On one hand:一方面; unreasonable:adj.不合理的;过度的;不切实际的;非理智的;
The substance hadn't been tested for toxicity , and its health impacts were largely unknown. 这种物质尚未经毒性檢测, 它对健康的影响也多半未知。
However, it’s likely many people weren’t responding to a lack of food safety regulation , but rather the letter’s title: “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome .” 不过,让大部分人反弹的 并不是缺乏食物安全法规, 而是信件的标题: 「中国餐馆症候群」。
While MSG was commonly used in numerous cuisines , many Americans had longstanding prejudices against Asian eating customs, labeling them as exotic or dangerous. 虽然很多菜肴都会用到味精, 许多美国人长年来对亚洲人的饮食习俗都存有偏见, 为之贴上异国或危险的标签。
substance:n.物质;实质;主旨;物品; toxicity:n.[毒物]毒性; impacts:n.影响; v.有影响,有作用; largely:adv.主要地;大部分;大量地; responding:v.响应;作出反应;反应灵敏;(respond的现在分词) regulation:n.规则;法规;控制;规章制度;adj.规定的;必须穿戴的;必须使用的; Syndrome:n.[临床]综合征;综合症状;并发症状;校验子;并发位; cuisines:菜肴;烹饪;烹饪法(cuisine的名词复数); longstanding:adj.长期存在的;长时间的; prejudices:成见;偏见;歧视(prejudice的复数); labeling:n.标签;标记;[计]标号;v.贴标签;分类;(label的现在分词) exotic:adj.异国的;外来的;异国情调的;
These stigmas fueled racially biased journalism, and spread fear that eating at Chinese restaurants could make you sick. 这些污名激起了 带有种族偏见的新闻报导, 并散播恐惧,让大家认为在中国餐馆 用餐就会生病。
This prejudiced reporting extended to numerous studies about MSG and umami, the results of which were much less conclusive than the headlines suggested. 这些有偏见的报导延伸出 许多关于味精和旨味的研究, 研究结果完全不像 新闻标题暗示的那么肯定。
For example, when a 1969 study found that injecting mice with MSG caused severe damage to their retina and brain, some news outlets jumped to proclaim that eating MSG could cause brain damage . 举例来说,一项 1969 年的研究发现, 将味精注射到老鼠身上 会对牠们的视网膜和脑部 造成严重伤害, 有些新闻管道就因此武断地宣称,
stigmas:n.[植]柱头;耻辱;污名;烙印;特征; racially:adv.人种上;按人种; prejudiced:adj.偏见的;带成见的;偏爱的;偏心的;v.使怀有偏见;(prejudice的过去式) extended:adj.延长了的;扩展了的;v.使伸长;扩大;扩展;(extend的过去式和过去分词) conclusive:adj.决定性的;最后的;确实的;确定性的; injecting:v.(给…)注射(药物等);(给…)添加,增加(某品质);(inject的现在分词) severe:adj.极为恶劣的;十分严重的;严厉的;苛刻的; retina:n.[解剖]视网膜; outlets:n.出路;销售点;排水口;批发商点(outlet的复数形式); proclaim:vt.宣告,公布;声明;表明;赞扬; brain damage:n.(疾病、事故导致的)脑损伤;
Similarly , while some studies reported that excess glutamate could lead to problems like Alzheimer’s, these conditions were later found to be caused by internal glutamate imbalances , unrelated to the MSG we eat. 同样地,虽然有些研究 指出过量的麸胺酸盐 可能会造成阿兹海默症等问题, 后来发现这些病症的成因 和我们吃下的味精无关。
These headlines weren't just a product of prejudiced reporters. 不仅存有偏见的记者 会下这样的标题,
Throughout the late 60s and early 70s, many doctors also considered “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” to be a legitimate ailment . 1960 年代末,1970 年代初, 许多医生也认为「中国餐馆症候群」 的确是一种疾病。
Similarly:adv.同样地;类似于; excess:n.超过,超额;过度,过量;无节制;adj.额外的,过量的;附加的; internal:n.内脏;本质;adj.内部的;里面的;体内的;(机构)内部的; imbalances:n.不平衡;不安定; unrelated:adj.无关的,不相干的; Throughout:adv.自始至终,到处;全部;prep.贯穿,遍及; legitimate:adj.合法的;正当的;合理的;正统的;v.使合法;认为正当(等于legitimize); ailment:n.小病;不安;
Fortunately , today’s MSG researchers no longer see the additive in this discriminatory way. 幸运的是,现今的味精研究者不再用歧视的眼光 看待这种添加物。
Recent studies have established the vital role glutamate plays in our metabolism , and some researchers even think MSG is a healthier alternative to added fat and sodium. 近期的研究确认了麸胺酸盐 有些研究者甚至认为, 味精可以替代脂肪和纳来增添美味, 而且还更健康。
Fortunately:adv.幸运地; discriminatory:adj.有辨识力的;差别对待的; vital:adj.至关重要的;生死攸关的;有活力的; metabolism:n.[生理]新陈代谢; alternative:adj.供选择的;选择性的;交替的;n.二中择一;供替代的选择;
Others are investigating whether regular consumption of MSG could be linked to obesity , and it is possible that binging MSG produces headaches, chest pains, or heart palpitations for some people. 也有研究者在探究 经常吃味精是否和肥胖有关, 以及大量食用味精 是否可能让某些人产生 头痛、胸痛或心悸的症状。
But for most diners , a moderate amount of this savory seasoning seems like a safe way to make life a little tastier . 但对多数的食客,适量吃入这种可口的调味料 还蛮安全的, 也可以让人生更美味。
investigating:v.调查;研究;审查;(investigate的现在分词) consumption:n.消费;消耗;肺痨; obesity:n.肥大,肥胖; binging:n.粘合;夹锯;包边;v.狂欢;沉溺(binge的ing形式); palpitations:n.[内科]心悸(palpitation的复数); diners:n.用餐者,路边小饭馆;大莱卡(信用卡公司); moderate:v.缓和; adj.适度的; n.持温和观点者(尤指政见); tastier:较美味的(tasty的比较级);