Microorganisms & Biotech

What is biotechnology?

Applying biological organisms/enzymes to synthesis, breakdown, or transformation of materials in the service of people

Examples of microorganism use in bioprocesses (6)

• Food production: baking/bread, cheese-making, yoghurt making

• Medicines: vaccines and antibodies

• Useful products: foods and medicines in general

• Useful services: sewage treatment, composting, bioremediation

• Production of enzymes & chemicals for commercial use

• Emerging uses: biofuels, hardy crop plants, bioterrorism/bio-warfare countermeasures

What microorganisms are used to make diff types of food

• Diary (cheese, yoghurt) use BACTERIA

• Others - yeast (alc. baking bread)

• Penicillin - fungus

• Insulin - Bacteria

Why are the use of microorganisms in manufacturing processes ideal? (7)

1. No welfare issues to consider

2. Huge range of them capable of carrying out many diff chemical syntheses/degradations

3. Have v. short life cycle & rapid growth rate (in right conditions, huge quantities can be made in short time)

4. Genetic engineering allows us to artificially manipulate microorganisms to carry out synthesis reactions they won’t naturally do

5. Nutrient requirements for them cheap & simple

6. GMan modify m.o. to utilise materials that usually wasted, making raw materials much cheaper than for other industrial processes

7. Conditions needed cheap to provide (rel. low temp, supply of O2, removal of waste gases, also provide own catalysts in form of enzymes)

Quick breakdown of how microorganism involved indirect food making

Disadvantages of using microorganisms indirectly in human food production (3)

1. If conditions not ideal/met, microorganisms don’t grow properly so don’t work efficiently

2. Conditions ideal for microorganisms can also be ideal for pathogenic m.o. & ones that cause food; processes must be sterile

3. Some people have ethical issues w. use of GM microorganisms

How is Quorn produced

Microorganisms clumped together with albumen (egg whites)

Advantages of using microorganisms to produce human food (7)

1. They reproduce fast & produce proteins faster than animals & plants

2. They have high protein content, w. little fat

3. They can use wide variety of waste materials, reducing costs

4. They can undergo GM to produce protein required

5. Their production takes place constantly, can be varied to match demand (doesn’t depends on weatheror breeding patterns)

6. No welfare issues to grow them

7. Can be made to taste like anything

Disadvantages of using microorganisms to produce human food (7)

1. Some of them can produce toxins if conditions not maintained at optimum

2. They have to be separated from nutrient broth & processed to make food

3. Need sterile, carefully controlled conditions, add to cost

4. Often involve GM organims, many people have concerns about eating GM food

5. Protein has to be purified

6. Many people dislike idea of eating m.os grown on waste

7. Has little natural flavour, needs additives