BIOTECHNOLOGY
For Sustainable and Healthy Food Production
A
whole range of technologies has been
impact of agricultural systems on the environ-
Many renewable bioresources are now waiting
developed or adapted, including
ment. Approximately 42% of crop productivity is
to be exploited to obtain the new compounds of
renewable energies new materials,
lost to competition with weeds and to pests and
potential values. For example, microalagae con-
eco-friendly chemicals, transport and processing
to pathogens. There are also the limitations with
tributes substantially to primary photosynthetic
systems, and adequate monitoring and control
the biological and physical limits of the crops’ pro-
productivity, but are barely used commercially.
methods.
ductivity. There are several potential key contribu-
Microalgae are a source of high-value products
tions of biotechnology to remedy such situation.
such as polyunsaturated fatty acid, natural colo-
Since 1970s various technologies in biotechnological have continually emerged, recently these
In regions lacking water, plant biotechnology
advancements have attracted increased attention
could help to develop crop plants with intrinsic re-
from the general public.
sistance to drought and salt, modern plant-breed-
Biotechnology has proved capable of preventing and better cure of diseases, generating enormous profitability, and influencing every sector of the economy. Biotechnology has substantially made
ing and engineering techniques could help in
potential sources of value addition products with
ing heat and cold as well as drought and salt.
the help of biotechnology. Innovative bioprocess
thetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides), gen-
riculture and forestry, environmental protection,
erally now referred as biopesticides and biofertiliz-
and the production of biomaterials and biochem-
ers such as fermented sludge, biological materials
ical towards green and sustainable development.
such as chitosan and cyanobacteria. Biofertilizers
The policy makers of all nations whether devel-
and biopesticides are considered as eco-friendly
oped or developing, are now formulating and
and safe. The first generation of biological fertiliz-
implementing integrated plans for using biotech-
ers was based on nitrogen fixing rhizobial bacte-
nology for industrial regeneration, job creation,
ria found naturally in the root nodules of legumes.
and social progress. Biotechnology provides en-
These bacteria fix nitrogen from the air to provide
tirely novel opportunities for sustainable produc-
the plant with assimilable nitrogen. Enhanced
tion of existing and new products and services.
use of such biofertilizers will significantly reduce
Biological production systems are inherently at-
pollution, energy, and resource consumption as-
tractive because they use the basic renewable re-
sociated with the use of conventional fertilizers. In
sources of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide to
a similar way, herbicide-tolerant plants manipulat-
produce a wide range of molecules using low-en-
ed at the genetic levels have been developed to
ergy processes.
reduce herbicide use.
Biotechnology comprises three distinct fields of
Compared to their conventional counterparts,
activity: genetic engineering, protein engineer-
transgenic plants and animals offer many advan-
ing, and metabolic engineering. A fourth disci-
tages, including superior yields, lower demand
pline, known as bioprocess engineering, has been
for fertilizers and pesticides, better tolerance to
identified as a must for commercial production of
adverse environments and pests, improved nutri-
biotechnology products and delivery of its ser-
tion and other functional qualities, ability to gen-
vices. Biological production systems are inherent-
erate products that a crop does not produce nat-
ly attractive because they use the basic renewable
urally, and reduced cost of production. With the
resources of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide
advancement of genetic engineering, the trans-
to produce a wide range of molecules using low
genic animals and plants are now considered as
energy processes.
versatile living reactors in which the desired me-
58
Technology | April 2014
izers, soil inoculants, and biofuels. The microbial worlds can now be exploited as
and processing of food and pharmaceutics, ag-
growing world population and the detrimental
wastewaters, and as aquaculture feeds, biofertil-
adapted to a whole range of stress factors, includ-
There are now alternatives to agrochemicals (syn-
form of food production, considering the rapidly
apeutics other than using for biotreatment of
selecting and developing plant varieties better
an impact in healthcare, sustainable production
There is an urgent need to develop a sustainable
rants, biopolymers, single cell proteins, and ther-
tabolites are synthesized for industrial production of various food compounds such as proteins, peptides, hormones, growth factors, biopharmaceutics, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
intensification strategies are being put to use to substantially enhance producing the metabolite products from the microorganisms. The genetic manipulations and cloning of certain microogranisms help to produce abundant amounts of vitamins, proteins, peptides, hormones, and other biopharmaceutics. The fermentation processes help to produce industrial enzymes for application in various food and pharmaceutical industries. A new class of sugars, known as isomalto-oligosaccharides has potential commercial applications in the food industry as non-digestible carbohydrates bulking agent. Cellulase is a subject of intense research because of their potential for providing fuels, food, and other chemicals from widely available celluloses. Enzymes such as amylases and proteases are being added to animal feed to improve digestibility by supplementing the animals’ own enzymes. Adding enzymes such as beta-glucanases and arabionoxylanase to feed cereals break down non-starch polysaccha ride anti-nutritional factors, aiding digestion and the absorption of nutrients, and thus improving the bioavailability. Extremophilic enzymes, or exterozymes, are now getting increasing industrial values because of their ability to withstand extremes
Author: Anil Kumar Anal, Ph.D. Coordinator, Food, Agriculture and Bio Systems (FABS) Cluster, School of Environment, Resources and Development, Asian Institute of Technology
