虫子做的高档冰淇淋，你敢吃吗？

如果你对昆虫拉面、油炸昆虫还有所抗拒，那你可以试试昆虫冰淇淋。同样是用虫子制成，但是看上去却让人很有食欲，味道也相当不错。看到它，仿佛看到了昆虫美食的未来。

 

After a long day under the beating sun, an ice cream might be a tempting treat.

在烈日下待了一整天，冰淇淋也许非常具有诱惑力。

 

But would you be able to enjoy it if you knew it was made from bug “milk?”

但如果你知道这个冰淇淋是用虫“奶”做的，你还会吃得那么香甜吗？

 

Gourmet Grubb, a Cape Town-based start-up, is hoping to use ice cream to introduce the public to the world of eating insects.

开普敦初创企业Gourmet Grubb希望用冰淇淋带公众了解吃虫子的世界。

 

Its luxury ice cream uses EntoMilk, a dairy alternative made by blending the larvae of a tropical insect known as the black solider fly.

该企业的高档冰淇淋用EntoMilk作原料，这种奶制品替代品用热带昆虫黑水虻的幼虫混合制成。

 

 

 

The UN predicts that the world will need to double food production to feed the global population by 2050 and has long promoted insect farming as a sustainable alternative protein source to traditional livestock.

联合国预计，到2050年世界的食品生产将需要翻番才能养活全球人口。长期以来，联合国一直提倡养殖昆虫作为替代传统畜牧业的可持续的蛋白质来源。

 

“We set out to change the way insects were seen, produced and used in the food industry,” said Leah Bessa, who co-founded Gourmet Grubb in 2017.

2017年共同创立Gourmet Grubb公司的利亚•贝萨说：“我们打算改变食品行业看待、生产和使用昆虫的方式。”

 

Although over 1,900 insect species are estimated to be consumed by humans worldwide, insects are yet to reach the mainstream of Western cuisine.

尽管全世界人类食用的昆虫据估计有1900多种，但昆虫距离成为西方饮食主流还有很长一段路要走。

 

“We were expecting a lot of push back, however people have been extremely open minded,” Bessa told CNN. “Everybody loves ice cream.”

贝萨告诉CNN说：“我们做好了遭遇阻力的思想准备，但结果发现人们的接受度非常高。大家都喜欢吃冰淇淋。”

 

The ice cream flavors include chocolate, peanut butter and Christmas spices. According to Bessa, EntoMilk has “a slightly earthy undertone” and gives the ice cream “a rich, creamy taste.”

这款冰淇淋有巧克力、花生酱、圣诞香料等多种口味。贝萨说，EntoMilk带有“一点泥土的味道”，给冰淇淋增添了“浓郁、柔滑的口感”。

 

 

 

But it’s not just about the taste - Bessa says insect ice cream is also high in nutrients. According to Gourmet Grubb EntoMilk is five times higher in protein than dairy.

不光是口感，贝萨说昆虫冰淇淋的营养价值也很高。据Gourmet Grubb公司介绍，EntoMilk所含的蛋白质比奶制品高五倍。

 

According to the UN, it is widely accepted that insects provide nutrients that are comparable to meat and fish.

据联合国称，现在普遍认为，昆虫提供的营养堪比肉类和鱼类。

 

“Insects are inherently high in fat and protein and minerals,” said Bessa. “The black solider fly has protein and fat content comparable to beef, and zinc, iron and calcium that are much higher than that of beef.”

贝萨说：“昆虫富含脂肪、蛋白质和矿物质。黑水虻所含的蛋白质和脂肪堪比牛肉，所含的锌、铁和钙比牛肉高得多。”

 

EntoMilk is also lactose-free and gluten-free, and unlike dairy milk it does not contain any carbohydrates or sugars.

与此同时，EntoMilk不含乳糖和麸质，而且和奶制品不同，它不含任何碳水化合物和糖。

 

According to Gourmet Grubb, liter for liter, EntoMilk is more water and energy efficient to produce than any dairy milk or dairy milk alternatives.

据Gourmet Grubb公司说，生产 EntoMilk每公斤所用的水和能源比任何奶制品或奶制品的替代品都更少。

 

“Insects need very little water, feed and space to grow,” Bessa explained. “They also produce little/no greenhouse gases compared to traditional livestock.”

贝萨解释说：“养殖昆虫所需的水、饲料和空间非常少。和传统畜牧业相比，它们排放的温室气体极少或接近于零。”

 

Because insects can be farmed indoors in small, controlled environments they can be reared in urban areas, reducing the impact of transporting the milk to the city. It also means they are less at risk of being impacted by external climate patterns, which would affect cattle and crops.

因为昆虫可以在小型、可控的城区室内环境养殖，降低了运奶到市内的影响。这意味着它们不易受到外部气候模式的影响，而气候则会对牲畜和农作物造成影响。

 

There is also potential for insect farming to reduce waste.

而且，养殖昆虫还可能会减少浪费。

 

“Some insects, like the black solider fly larvae, have the ability to feed on a wide range of organic matter,” said Bessa. “For example, the spent grain left over from brewing beer is used to feed the larvae.”

贝萨说：“一些昆虫，比如黑水虻幼虫，能够以各种不同的有机物质为食。举例而言，酿啤酒剩下的麦槽可以用来喂养幼虫。”

 

Currently, Gourmet Grubb’s ice cream is only distributed in South Africa, but the global edible insects market is predicted to reach $1.2 billion by 2023.

目前，Gourmet Grubb公司的冰淇淋只在南非发售，但据估计到2023年全球可食用昆虫市场可达到12亿美元（84.5亿元人民币）。

 

Last month, Gourmet Grubb also opened a concept popup store, which included savory insect dishes such as insect powder pasta, chickpea black-larvae croquettes and mopani worm hummus, to serve alongside its ice cream.

上个月，Gourmet Grubb公司还开了一家快闪概念店，供应的美味昆虫食品除了冰淇淋以外，还有虫粉意面、鹰嘴豆黑色幼虫炸丸子和莫帕尼蠕虫鹰嘴豆泥。

 

 

 

“We need to find alternatives that will be able to sustain the growing population and create a sustainable and environmentally friendly farming system,” said Bessa.

贝萨说：“我们需要找到可以供给不断增长的人口的食品替代品，打造可持续的环保养殖系统。”

 

“The only way EntoMilk can truly make a difference and reduce the pressures of traditional dairy is if it is accepted and consumed on a global scale.”

“只有EntoMilk在全球范围内被接受和消费，它才能真正改变世界，减少传统奶制品行业的压力。”