Application of Biotechnology in Food Flashcards
Definition of Food Biotechnology
Downstream processing of raw materials and macromolecules using biotechnology process
What are some down stream processed used?
- Distillation
- Centrifugation
- Filtration
- Flocculation
Another FB Definition
1) Peparation & development of improved or new foods
2) Production and modification of food ingredients
3) Analysis of food components
What is traditional/Old Biotechnology
Uses fermentation & enzyme technology.
What is modern/New Biotechnology
Uses genetic engineering/recombinant DNA OR cell/tissues culture techology
What is Frankenstein Food?
Food that are produced from genetically modified organism (GMO) which had their genome altered through genetic engineering techniques
Applications of biotechnology
1) Food Fermentation
2) Starter Culture
3) Enzyme
4) Food Ingredients
Before 6000 B.C
Proving bread with leaven
Fermentation of juices to alcoholic beverages
Before 14th century
Beer and wine production, vinegar industry
(Orleans)
1680
Visualization of yeast cells by Anton van
Leeuwenhoek
1818
Discovery of fermentation properties of yeast by
Erxleben
People understood the use of yeast/microorganism
to create new and different food
1857
Description of lactic acid fermentation by Pasteur
Pasteur-father of Biotechnology
1922
Farmers buy hybrid corn seed created by
crossbreeding 2 corn plants
F1 seeds from hybrids seed cannot be
reproduced again from hybrid plants
1953
Watson & Crick define the DNA structure
Shows how living cells store, duplicate and
pass genetic information from generation to
generation
1973
Scientists Stanley Cohen and Herbert Boyer moved a
gene-a specific piece of DNA from one organism to
another
1978
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
1978
Goldberg et al. discovered insulin
1986
The agriculture industry uses biotechnology to create soybean plants that are herbicide resistant
They are called roundup soybeans
1990
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
1989–1991
Recombinant rennet (Gist-Brocades,
Genencor, and Pfizer)
1994
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
Mid 1990s
First biotech improved crops commercialized
Eg. Insect-protected cotton and potatoes
Eg. Soybeans, canola, and cotton with improved weed control
1997
18 more biotech improved crops approved by the US government
1999
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
2004
47 genetically modified crops on the market
APPLICATIONS OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
1) Food Fermentation
2) Starter Culture
3) Enzyme
4) Food Ingredients
(1) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN FOOD FERMENTATION
Microorganisms are an essential part of the production of fermented foods.
Microbial cultures can be genetically improved using both;
traditional and
molecular approaches
Characteristics of traditional approaches
1) Classical mutagenenesis
2) Conjugation
3) Hybridization
Characteristics of molecular approaches
1) Genetic modification
2) Genetic characterization
3) Genomics
Classical mutagenesis
- Exposure of microbial strains to mutagenic chemicals or ultraviolet rays (production of mutants)
- To induce changes in their genomes.
Conjugation
- Natural process whereby genetic material is transferred among closely related microbial species
- As a result of physical contact between the donor and the recipient
Hybridization (sexual breeding and mating)
Sexual reproduction in yeasts, and thus genetic
recombination, has led to improvements in yeasts.
Genetic modification
Recombinant DNA approaches have been used for genetic modification of bacterial, yeast, and mold strains
Genetic characterisation
Use of molecular diagnostic techniques
Genomics
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)
ADVANTAGES OF FERMENTED FOOD
• 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
(2) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN STARTER CULTURES
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.
a) Genetically modified (GM) starter culture
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
b) Genetically modified (GM) Foods
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.
GMO Soybeans
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.
GMO Tomato
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.
(3) BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE PRODUCTION OF
ENZYME
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.
Food Ingredients
Food ingredients are edible materials added
together to prepare a food item
Food additives
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)
Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act established 3 classifications:
- Substances that are ‘generally recognized as safe’ (GRAS) for their intended use in food include a number of food organism and enzymes
- Substances that are NOT GRAS for their intended use in food are termed a food additive
- Added ‘poisonous or deleterious substances which may render a food injurious to health
GRAS
1) GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase” Generally Recognized As Safe
- Substances that are GRAS
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
- Substances which are not GRAS
(food additive)
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.
3) Added ‘poisonous or deleterious’ substances
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
