Application of Biotechnology in Food

Question 1

Definition of Food Biotechnology

Answer 1

Downstream processing of raw materials and macromolecules using biotechnology process

Question 2

What are some down stream processed used?

Answer 2

• Distillation
• Centrifugation
• Filtration
• Flocculation

Question 3

Another FB Definition

Answer 3

1) Peparation & development of improved or new foods
2) Production and modification of food ingredients
3) Analysis of food components

Question 4

What is traditional/Old Biotechnology

Answer 4

Uses fermentation & enzyme technology.

Question 5

What is modern/New Biotechnology

Answer 5

Uses genetic engineering/recombinant DNA OR cell/tissues culture techology

Question 6

What is Frankenstein Food?

Answer 6

Food that are produced from genetically modified organism (GMO) which had their genome altered through genetic engineering techniques

Question 7

Applications of biotechnology

Answer 7

1) Food Fermentation
2) Starter Culture
3) Enzyme
4) Food Ingredients

Question 8

Before 6000 B.C

Answer 8

 Proving bread with leaven
 Fermentation of juices to alcoholic beverages

Question 9

Before 14th century

Answer 9

 Beer and wine production, vinegar industry
(Orleans)

Question 10

1680

Answer 10

 Visualization of yeast cells by Anton van
Leeuwenhoek

Question 11

1818

Answer 11

 Discovery of fermentation properties of yeast by
Erxleben
 People understood the use of yeast/microorganism
to create new and different food

Question 12

1857

Answer 12

 Description of lactic acid fermentation by Pasteur
 Pasteur-father of Biotechnology

Question 13

1922

Answer 13

 Farmers buy hybrid corn seed created by
crossbreeding 2 corn plants

 F1 seeds from hybrids seed cannot be
reproduced again from hybrid plants

Question 14

1953

Answer 14

 Watson & Crick define the DNA structure
 Shows how living cells store, duplicate and
pass genetic information from generation to
generation

Question 15

1973

Answer 15

 Scientists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer moved a
gene-a specific piece of DNA from one organism to
another

Question 16

1978

Answer 16

Hakura et al. sequenced somatostatin (1st recombinant DNA product) a growth hormone with 13 amino acid and produces papers on basic engineering using E.coli as host cell

Question 17

1978

Answer 17

Goldberg et al. discovered insulin

Question 18

1986

Answer 18

 The agriculture industry uses biotechnology to create soybean plants that are herbicide resistant
 They are called roundup soybeans

Question 19

1990

Answer 19

 First food biotech product approved by USFDA-chymosin
used in cheese making
 Chymosin is more or less the same as rennet obtained form
young calves stomachs but in this case they use E.coli gene
for modification

Question 20

1989–1991

Answer 20

Recombinant rennet (Gist-Brocades,
Genencor, and Pfizer)

Question 21

1994

Answer 21

 GM-soybean approved by the USDA and
FDA, approved by EPA in 1995 and
commercialized in 1996
 The first food product enhanced by biotech
hits the supermarket shelves
 The FlavrSavr tomato, has a gene that slow
ripening and improves shelf life

Question 22

Mid 1990s

Answer 22

 First biotech improved crops commercialized
 Eg. Insect-protected cotton and potatoes
 Eg. Soybeans, canola, and cotton with improved weed control

Question 23

1997

Answer 23

18 more biotech improved crops approved by the US government

Question 24

1999

Answer 24

 More crops are approved
 More countries use biotechnology to improve the traits of crops
 Studies on food and animal improvement are ongoing
 Safety, acceptability, and ethical issues of transgenic foods debated
 New international laws and regulations are being
drafted

Question 25

2004

Answer 25

 47 genetically modified crops on the market

Question 26

APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY

Answer 26

1) Food Fermentation
2) Starter Culture
3) Enzyme
4) Food Ingredients

Question 27

(1) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD FERMENTATION

Answer 27

 Microorganisms are an essential part of the production of fermented foods.
 Microbial cultures can be genetically improved using both;
traditional and
 molecular approaches

Question 28

Characteristics of traditional approaches

Answer 28

1) Classical mutagenenesis
2) Conjugation
3) Hybridization

Question 29

Characteristics of molecular approaches

Answer 29

1) Genetic modification
2) Genetic characterization
3) Genomics

Question 30

Classical mutagenesis

Answer 30

• Exposure of microbial strains to mutagenic chemicals or ultraviolet rays (production of mutants)
• To induce changes in their genomes.

Question 31

Conjugation

Answer 31

• Natural process whereby genetic material is transferred among closely related microbial species
• As a result of physical contact between the donor and the recipient

Question 32

Hybridization (sexual breeding and mating)

Answer 32

Sexual reproduction in yeasts, and thus genetic
recombination, has led to improvements in yeasts.

Question 33

Genetic modification

Answer 33

Recombinant DNA approaches have been used for genetic modification of bacterial, yeast, and mold strains

Question 34

Genetic characterisation

Answer 34

Use of molecular diagnostic techniques

Question 35

Genomics

Answer 35

The genome sequences of many food related microorganisms have been completed (e.g., Saccharomyces cerevisiae, commonly known as baker’s or brewer’s yeast, was the first eukaryote to have its genome sequenced in 1996)

Question 36

ADVANTAGES OF FERMENTED FOOD

Answer 36

• Preserve and enrich food
• Potential of enhancing food safety by controlling the growth and multiplication of a number of pathogens in foods.
• Low energy consumption due to the mild operating conditions

Question 37

(2) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN STARTER CULTURES

Answer 37

 In many cases, the natural microflora is either inefficient,uncontrollable, or unpredictable or destroyed during the preparation of the sample prior to fermentation (e.g.,pasteurization)

 A starter culture can provide particular characteristics in a more controlled and predictable fermentation

 Starter cultures are preparations of live microorganisms or their resting forms, whose metabolic activity has desired effects in the fermentation substrate, the food.

Question 38

a) Genetically modified (GM) starter culture

Answer 38

 To modify starter cultures (bacteria or yeast fungi), which are vital in bread, beer, yogurt, cheese, and salami production)

 To accelerate the production process and increase the yield or intensifying taste

Question 39

b) Genetically modified (GM) Foods

Answer 39

 Genetically modified (GM) foods are those produced from organisms with modified genetic material (DNA), e.g., through the insertion of a gene from another organism.

Question 40

GMO Soybeans

Answer 40

 In 1996, the first genetically modified soybean was introduced to the U.S. by Monsanto.
 The first herbicide-tolerant GMO soy was created by inserting DNA from glyphosate-resistant bacteria into the soy plant so farmers could apply weedkillers to their fields without damaging their cash crop.
 Since the 1990s, glyphosate use has increased 15-fold. While glyphosate was initially marketed as a “safe” weedkiller. In 2015, it was deemed a “probable human carcinogen” by the International
Agency for Research on Cancer.

Question 41

GMO Tomato

Answer 41

 Flavr Savr (also known as CGN-89564-2; pronounced “flavor saver”), a genetically modified tomato, was the first commercially grown genetically engineered food to be granted a license for human consumption

 The tomato has an improved shelf-life, increased fungal resistance, and a slightly increased viscosity compared to its non-modified counterpart.

 It was meant to be harvested ripe for increased flavor for long-distance shipping.

Question 42

(3) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE PRODUCTION OF
ENZYME

Answer 42

 In the past, enzymes were isolated primarily from plant and animal sources
 Thus, a limited number of enzymes were available to the food processor at a high cost.
 Today, several strains of microorganisms have been selected or genetically modified to increase the efficiency with which they produce enzymes.
 In most cases, the modified genes are of microbial origin, although they may also come from different kingdoms.

Question 43

Food Ingredients

Answer 43

 Food ingredients are edible materials added
together to prepare a food item

Question 44

Food additives

Answer 44

 Additives are substances added purposely to
food to preserve or enhance the value of food, or to make it more palatable and without detriment to its safety
 Salt, sugar, and vinegar-among are the first used to preserve food
 Today, there are natural and artificial chemicals
food additives)

Question 45

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act established 3 classifications:

Answer 45

1. Substances that are ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) for their intended use in food include a number of food organism and enzymes
2. Substances that are NOT GRAS for their intended use in food are termed a food additive
3. Added ‘poisonous or deleterious substances which may render a food injurious to health

Question 46

GRAS

Answer 46

1) GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase” Generally Recognized As Safe

Question 47

1. Substances that are GRAS

Answer 47

 If GRAS, manufacturer is free to use without FDA
approval or even notifying the agency about it

 If not GRAS, the substances are deemed by law to be a food additive, and a food additive may not be used until the FDA issues an authorizing food additive regulation

 Because of regulatory risk, if not GRAS, companies are reluctant to use new substances not listed as GRAS or approved by a food additive regulation, even if they believe the substance is, in fact, GRAs and can be used without FDA approval

Question 48

2. Substances which are not GRAS
   (food additive)

Answer 48

 The FD&C Act prohibits commercial use of a food
additive until the FDA first has published a food
additives regulation that authorizes the intended
use of that substances.

Question 49

3) Added ‘poisonous or deleterious’ substances

Answer 49

 FD&C Act provides that food shall be deemed to be adulterated if it bears or contains any added poisonous or deleterious substances that may render it injurious to health

 Violations of this law are subjected to regulatory action