Microorganisms & Biotechnology Flashcards
1
Q
What is biotechnology?
A
it is the commercial use of living organisms / enzymes to make
useful products.
2
Q
What are the 6 advantages of biotechnology?
A
- fast growth and reproduction
- easy, cheap and low energy to culture
- they make their products at low temperatures and low pressures
- microorganisms can be genetically engineered
- products are easy to purify and separate
- grow them on unwanted foods and waste
3
Q
What are the disadvantages of biotechnology?
A
- can be contaminated very easily - providing ideal conditions for microorganisms
to grow - less publically accepted - food grown on waste products
4
Q
What are microorganisms used to makein food?
A
- cheese - fungi in blue cheese
- yoghurt - lactobacillus - converts lactose to lactic acid
- beer and bread - yeast - anaerobic respiration, glucose converts to ethanol and co2
- mycoprotein - fungus - fusarium in quorn
5
Q
What microorganisms are used to make drugs?
A
- penicillin - from the fungus penicillium - made in batch culture
- insulin - transformed bacteria
6
Q
What microorganisms are used to make industry products?
A
- we use enzymes - lipases in detergents - in washing powders - to dissolve fats
- biogas - ethanol - yeast
