Author Profile

George Gaskell is a British Emeritus Professor of Social Psychology at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). Formerly Director of the Methodology Institute, which he established with Colm O'Muircheartaigh, he was Pro-director for Planning and Resources and a member of the LSE Council and Court of Governors. He is a member of the Advisory Group on Risk Communication of the European Food Safety Authority and Chair of the International Advisory Committee of the Centre for Society and Genomics in the Netherlands. He was vice-chair of the European Commission's Science and Society Advisory Committee for FP6 and a member of the Science in Society Committee of the Royal Society and the Economic and Social Research Council's Evaluation Committee.

About The Book

In the past decade, major breakthroughs have happened and enormous progress has been made in all aspects of genetic engineering and biotechnology. This is clearly reflected in the voluminous publications of original research, patents, peer reviewed books, and symposia. However, an exciting account of how this new biotechnology can affect traditional methods of producing foods and beverages is the need of the hour. Many professional reference texts on food biotechnology are now available, but none of it is appropriate as classroom text. Most such volumes are the work of multiple contributors and the normal didactic criteria required to explain terms, flowcharts and frames of reference are lacking. No attempt has been made to explain the translation of basic scientific information into practical applications. Moreover, biotechnology has become a fashionable subject and, as one of the most abused buzz words of the decade, it now comprises a huge body of information. The very scope of this knowledge presents serious problems to instructors and students. Which facts are the most important for them to learn and which are less important? How can they assess the significance of food systems and food products? This book has tried to keep these problems at the forefront and have therefore aimed at making the treatment of food biotechnology comprehensible rather than comprehensive. This book will prove valuable to both students and instructors as well as to research and industrial practitioners in specific aspects of the field who seek a broad view on food biotechnology. This book aims to give readers, general science students, and practicing researchers, an overview of the essential features of food biotechnology not covered in other institutions as typical science curriculum. The treatment of subjects is necessarily selective, but the volume seeks to balance the traditional biotechnologies with the new, and science and engineering with their industrial applications and potential. This book covers the course of Food Biotechnology adopted by various universities. The book is primarily meant for undergraduate and postgraduate classes as a Reference-cum-Textbook. It would be very useful both from teaching and research point of view. The aim is to develop an authentic account of biotechnology in the food industry and stimulate research in food biotechnology. Unlike the past, the present food industry is profitably deriving benefits from bioengineering. These applied aspects are covered so that the students could take relevant assignments in the food industry. It also highlights future needs of research on the various aspects of food biotechnology.

Table of Contents

Preface
1. FUNDAMENTALS AND NEW ASPECTS
2. CONCEPTS AND TOOLS FOR RECOMBINANT DNA TECHNOLOGY
3. YEAST-BASED PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS
4. BACTERIA-BASED PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS
5. OTHER ORGANISM-BASED PROCESSES AND PRODUCTS
6. 6. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY, ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, AND SAFETY ASSESSMENT
Bibliography
Index