Introduction

Plant, animal and microbes have been used by humans for nutrition and development of products for consumption such as beer or bread. Understanding of Physical phenomenon has allowed the invention of different types of electronic gadgets, machines, devices and altogether these have been used to increase the efficiency of human activities. Technological advancement has also allowed him to exploit plant, animal and microbial wealth to provide products of commercial or pharmaceutical importance. All these activities (research and development) fall under the big umbrella of biotechnology. In simpler word, Biotechnology is the summation of activities involving technological tools and living organism in such a way that it will enhance the efficiency of the production. The ultimate goal of this field is to improve the product yield from living organism either by employing principles of bio-engineering/bio-process technology or by genetically modifying the organisms. For example, production of bread or other bakery items from wheat flour after adding yeast as fermenting organism (Figure 1.1). In India, from ancient times wheat flour has been used to prepare “Roti” but yeast has been added to the wheat flour to make it porous by CO₂ generation during fermentation. Since then this process has been very popular in bakery industry and is responsible for prepration of bread, cakes, pizza, etc.

Figure 1.1: Making of Bread from wheat flour. (A) & (B) Dough before and after fermentation. (C) Cross section of baked Bread. Please note the increase in volume of the dough after fermentation and formation of pores in cross section of bread. Yeast mixed in dough utilizes sugar present in it and produces CO₂ through fermentation, exit of gas causes formation of pores and is responsible for sponginess of bread.