Question

What are the applications of biotechnology? Define each.

(200+ words)

Answer 1

According to the field of application, biotechnology can be distributed or classified in six broad areas that interact: Biotechnology in human health, Animal Biotechnology, Industrial Biotechnology, Plant Biotechnology, Environmental Biotechnology and Food Biotechnology.

 

♣ In the food biotechnology the fermentation process stands out, with two main types:

1.       Alcoholic or ethanolic fermentation.

The resulting ethanol is used in the manufacture of some alcoholic beverages, such as wine, beer, cider, cava, etc. Although ethanol is now being synthesized by large-scale industrial fermentation to be used as biofuel. The CO2 that is released in this process is also the cause of the sponge of the bread dough during its fermentation.

 

 

2.       Lactic fermentation. 

In the manufacture of dairy products, such as yogurt, cheese and other fermented dairy products (kefir, kumis, etc.), as well as in the preparation of prebiotic and probiotic foods.

                

♣ In the field of pharmaceutical industrial biotechnology there are several applications:

1.       Production of antibiotics (natural, semi-synthetic or synthetic).

2.       Obtaining recombinant proteins, as the example of human insulin.

3.       New generation vaccines, such as recombinant and edible vaccines.

4.       Industrial production of sera.

 

♣ There are also many fields of application in environmental biotechnology:

1.       Bioremediation for cleaning contaminated sites.

2.       Sewage treatment.

3.       Waste treatment and composting.

4.       The biodegradation of materials (eg biodegradable plastics)

 

♣ Agricultural biotechnology (vegetable and animal) is the set of possible applications of biotechnology to agricultural production activities (agricultural and livestock), being used in several research routes:

1.       Insect-resistant plants.

2.       Crops resistant to viruses.

3.       Tolerance to herbicides.

4.       Nutritional improvement of crops or bio-enrichment.

5.       Tolerant crops for certain soil metals, such as aluminum.

6.       Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) or transgenic organisms.

 

In the most controversial case, which is biotechnology applied to human health, several supporting documents are provided on such controversial topics as the use of transgenic plants and animals, transplants, gene therapy, organ donation, etc. .