Applications of Microorganisms in Food Biotechnology

Abstract

Strain improvement of microorganisms in food products has been slow as isolation and mutation are timeconsuming and labour-intensive. Hybridization also is slow as unwanted traits have to be bred out. Applications with food related enzymes were the first products of modern biotechnology, followed by organic acids and amino acid

production by microorganisms. Food fermentation applications such as fermented dairy products and alcoholic beverages have also shown good possibility for using GMOs for improved fermentation performance and resistance to bacteriophages rather than yield improvement. Improvement in product characteristics including better nutritive quality will be the driving force of future research in food biotechnology.