Biotechnology applications in food processing

 

Biotechnology includes a wide range of diverse technologies and they may be applied in each of the different food and agriculture sectors. It includes technologies such as gene modification (manipulation) and transfer; the use of molecular markers; development of recombinant vaccines and DNA-based methods of disease characterisation/diagnosis; in-vitro vegetative propagation of plants; embryo transfer and other reproductive technologies in animals or triploidisation in fish. It also includes a range of technologies used to process the raw food materials produced by the crop, fishery and livestock sectors. This is the area that will be considered in this conference, the 11th one to be hosted by the FAO Biotechnology Forum since it was launched in March 2000. It is an area that receives relatively little attention from the media, but which is very important for food security in many developing countries.

 

Biotechnology in the food processing sector targets the selection and improvement of microorganisms with the objectives of improving process control, yields and efficiency as well as the quality, safety and consistency of bioprocessed products. Microorganisms or microbes are generic terms for the group of living organisms which are microscopic in size, and include bacteria, yeasts and moulds.

 

Fermentation is the process of bioconversion of organic substances by microorganisms and/or enzymes (complex proteins) of microbial, plant or animal origin. It is one of the oldest forms of food preservation which is applied globally. Indigenous fermented foods such as bread, cheese and wine, have been prepared and consumed for thousands of years and are strongly linked to culture and tradition, especially in rural households and village communities. It is estimated that fermented foods contribute to about one-third of the diet worldwide.

 

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