How Beer Waste is Changing the Future of Food and Fashion
The beer industry produces a large amount of waste, mainly in the form of brewers’ spent grain. This wet, sticky by-product is produced in huge quantities—about 37 million tons—globally each year. Normally, this grain is either used as animal feed or is dumped in landfills, where it rots and creates methane. But now, scientists and companies are finding 1 ways to reuse this waste product.
Brewers’ spent grain is rich in protein and fiber, making it a valuable 2 . Some companies have started using it to make vegan barley milk, which is similar to oat milk but with less sugar. In fact, some major brewers have created their own barley milk products using this grain. These innovative products help reduce waste while offering a more sustainable milk alternative.
Other companies have found a way to use brewers’ spent grain to make leather-like materials. These materials can be used in the fashion industry as alternatives to animal leather. Depending on the type of beer used, the color of this “vegan leather” can range from brown to black. This new material is strong, flexible, and much better for the environment than 3 leather.
Researchers are also exploring how this grain can be used in food products like baked goods and coffee. Since brewers’ spent grain is full of nutrients, it could help address the 4 demand for plant-based protein. In the future, it might even be used to create eco-friendly packaging or construction materials.
Using brewers’ spent grain in these ways helps reduce waste and can be an important 5 toward more sustainable industries. What started as beer waste might just change the way we think about food, fashion, and even the environment.
Fill in the Blanks
(A) resource (B) traditional (C) step (D) creative (E) growing
1. _____________ 2. _____________ 3. _____________ 4. _____________ 5. _____________
Vocabulary and Phrases
1. brewer n. 啤酒釀造商
2. by-product n. 副產品
3. landfill n. 垃圾掩埋場
4. methane n. 沼氣
5. vegan adj. 純素的
6. barley n. 大麥
7. oat adj. 燕麥的
8. nutrient n. 養分
9. packaging n. 包裝材料
譯 啤酒廢料如何改變食品與時尚的未來
啤酒產業產生大量的廢料，這些廢料主要以啤酒釀造商的剩餘麥渣之形式出現。這種濕黏的副產品每年在全球被大量生產，產量達約3700萬公噸。通常，這些麥渣會用作動物飼料，或是被丟棄到垃圾掩埋場，並在此腐爛和產生沼氣。但是現在許多科學家和公司正找到創新的方式來重新利用這些廢料。
啤酒釀造商的剩餘麥渣富含蛋白質和纖維，這使它成為一個有價值的資源。有些公司已經開始將其用來製作純素的大麥牛奶，這類牛奶與燕麥奶相似，但含糖量較低。事實上，一些大型啤酒釀造商也已經利用這些麥渣創造自己的大麥牛奶產品。這些創新的產品有助於減少廢料，同時也提供更具永續性的牛奶替代品。
其它公司已經找到方法，將啤酒釀造商的剩餘麥渣製成類似皮革的材料。這些材料可以用在時尚產業中，作為動物皮革的替代品。根據所使用的啤酒種類，這種「純素皮革」的顏色範圍為從棕色到黑色。這種新材料強韌且有彈性，比傳統皮革對環境的影響更好。
研究人員也在探索如何將這些麥渣用於食品產品，例如烘焙食品和咖啡。由於啤酒釀造商的剩餘麥渣充滿了養分，它可能有助於應對對植物性蛋白質日益增長的需求。未來，它甚至可能被用來製作環保包裝材料或建築材料。
以這些方式使用啤酒釀造商的剩餘麥渣有助於減少廢料，並可能是邁向更多永續產業重要的一步。起初只是啤酒廢料的東西，或許會改變我們對食品、時尚或甚至是對環境的看法。
文意選填解答：1. D 2. A 3. B 4. E 5. C
Acknowledgments
“Millions Gather for the Grand Kumbh Mela” by Catherine Ruth Harrington” by Catherine Ruth Harrington／審者：蘇文賢
“How Beer Waste is Changing the Future of Food and Fashion” by Catherine Ruth Harrington
Picture Credits
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