新型洋蔥讓你遠離流淚與口臭

Farmers claim to have grown onions that do not cause tears when chopped or leave diners with bad breath.

農民稱已種出一種洋蔥，讓你切它時不會再流淚，吃它也不會有口臭。

After two decades of cultivation, a new "sweet" variety of red onions has been created in Bedfordshire.

經過20年的種植，這種新型、帶甜味的紅色洋蔥在英格蘭貝德福德郡問世。

The variety has been stripped of some of its pungency. While the flavor is weaker, less of the scent wafts to the nose during chopping.

這種洋蔥刺激性不強，味道不太重，人們在切洋蔥時吸入鼻腔的氣味也就淡了。

As a result, the irritant in onions, sulphur, is less likely to make the eyes water.

因此，洋蔥中具刺激性、含硫磺的物質，也不至于把人嗆得流眼淚。

Lower levels of pungency also result in less of the taste lingering after eating, according to Asda, which will stock the new variety from the weekend.

艾思達超市準備從周末開始引進這種洋蔥。超市方面稱，由于洋蔥不那么刺鼻，使得人們吃完后，留在嘴里的氣味也變淡了。

The Asda Sweet Red took more than 20 years to create, according to farmer Alastair Findlay of Bedfordshire Growers.

貝德福德種植者公司的農民阿拉斯泰爾·芬德萊(Alastair Findlay)稱，艾思達甜紅洋蔥經過20多年才培育成功。

He tasted 400 to 500 bulbs each season to find the right combinations to reduce the traditional effects.

為找到合適的雜交品種來減少洋蔥會產生的味道，他每個季節都會品嘗400到500個洋蔥。

Asda will stock 40 tons of the sweet at a selection of its stores this weekend.

本周末，艾思達的精品門店將會引進40噸甜洋蔥。

Andy Wareham, a vegetable buyer for Asda, said the onions are "milder, tastier and crunchier" than regular red onions.

艾思達的蔬菜采購員安迪·韋勒姆稱，這種新型洋蔥較普通紅洋蔥味道更溫和，且更清脆爽口。

"They don't harbor any bitterness that is sometimes associated with extremely pungent red onions," he said.

他說：“這種洋蔥不帶任何苦味，紅洋蔥的苦味有時是由其極為辛辣的味道產生的。”

The sweet onions have been designed for salads or garnishes and are said to make a suitable accompaniment to mature cheddar.

這種甜洋蔥可用作沙拉或輔料，此外還適合與車打干酪搭配著一起吃。

Red onions were first grown in the UK in the early Nineties but now account for 20 percent of onion sales, Mr Wareham added.

韋勒姆還表示，紅洋蔥最早于19世紀初在英國種植，但現在已占到洋蔥總銷量的20%。

Vocabulary

chop:切碎

pungent:刺鼻的

sulphur:硫磺

crunchy:脆的

harbour:包含

garnish:裝飾菜

cheddar:車打干酪

（譯者：實習生陳思迪  編輯：丁一）