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Here’s a tale of genes, smells and pigs.
這是一個關于基因、氣味和豬肉的故事。
Most people have two copies of a gene that enables them to detect a steroidal pheromone called androstenone—which is found in male mammals, particularly porkers. But most pigs in developed countries have been chemically castrated. Which means much less androstenone in the meat. So, no strong smell.
大多數人的基因是雙拷貝的，這使他們能夠感受到一種叫做雄烯酮的甾體信息素。雄烯酮往往可以在雄性哺乳動物尤其是肉豬的體內找到。但在大多數發達國家里，生豬都已采取了化學閹割。這就意味著豬肉里的雄烯酮含量要少很多。因此，豬肉沒有了難聞的氣味。
Now Europe is considering a ban on castration. Might pork from these intact males smell bad to people with the right genes?
現在，歐洲正在考慮禁止對生豬進行化學閹割。但是取自沒有閹割的生豬身上的肉是不是對具有雙拷貝基因的人來說聞起來十分難聞？
Researchers recruited 23 volunteers, who were screened for the ability to smell androstenone. Tests showed that those who were sensitive to the compound did indeed have two copies of the gene. And those who didn’t notice it or didn’t think it smelled bad mostly had one or no copies.
研究人員招募了23個志愿者，測試他們對雄烯酮的嗅知能力。測試結果表明，那些對雄烯酮敏感人確實具有雙拷貝基因。而那些沒有感受到雄烯酮或認為豬肉氣味并不難聞的人則大多不具有雙拷貝基因。
The researchers then challenged the subjects with pork to which androstenone was added to match levels that would be found in meat from uncastrated males. And the sensitive subjects thought the meat smelled and tasted much worse than did the insensitive tasters. The research was published in Public Library of Science One.
隨后，研究人員往豬肉里加入雄烯酮直到其含量達到沒有閹割的生豬肉里的雄烯酮含量。他們發現，對雄烯酮敏感的人比不敏感的人覺得豬肉更難聞、更難吃。這項研究結果發表在《科學公共圖書館》（Public Library of Science One）雜志上。
The scientists say ending pig castration could thus make some pork unpalatable to people with the common genes construct. Which might make consumers squeal.
科學家們說，禁止生豬閹割會讓具有常見基因結構的人感到有些豬肉很難吃。聽到這個，豬肉消費者可能會大呼小叫了。
注：本文譯文屬可可英語原創，未經允許，請勿轉載。
