Food Biotechnology terms starting with F

102 terms

F factor Abbreviation for fertility factor. A bacterial plasmid that confers the ability to function as a genetic donor in conjugation. See: Hfr.
F1 Abbreviation for filial generation 1. The initial hybrid generation resulting from a cross between two parents. See Fn.
F1, F2, Fn Subsequent hybrid generations, counting from the F1. Thus, for example, F4 describes the progeny of the F3, which is the progeny of the F2 generation…
F2 The second hybrid generation, produced either by intercrossing two F1 individuals, or by self-fertilizing an F1 individual. See Fn.
FAB A product of hydrolysis of an IgG antibody, consisting of the variable region with some of the constant region of a heavy chain, and an entire light chain.
FACS See: fluorescence-activated cell sorting.
factorial mating A mating scheme in which each male parent is mated with each female parent. Made possible in animals by means of in vitro embryo production.
facultative anaerobe An organism that will grow under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions.
FAD See: flavin adenine dinucleotide.
false fruit See: pseudocarp.
False negative test result that states that an analyte is absent, when, in fact, it is present above the established limit of detection for the analyte in question.
false positive test result that states that an analyte is present, when, in fact, it is not present or, is present in an amount less than a threshold or designated…
farm animal genetic resources Those animal species that are used, or may be used, for the production of food and agriculture, and the populations within each of them.
farmers' privilege Rights to hold germplasm, covered by plant variety protection, as a seed source for subsequent seasons.
farmers' rights Rights first recognized by Resolution 5 of the 1989 FAO Conference as "rights arising from the past, present and future contributions of farmers in the…
fascicle See: vascular bundle.
FC A product of hydrolysis of an IgG antibody, consisting of parts of the constant regions of two heavy chains held together by a disulphide bridge, but…
FDA An agency in the U.S. federal government whose mission is to protect public health by making sure that food, cosmetics, and nutritional supplements are…
fed-batch fermentation Culture of cells or micro-organisms where nutrients are added periodically to the bioreactor.
Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) Passed in 1972, the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) regulates the manufacture and use of pesticides and allows EPA to restrict…
Federal Plant Pest Act (PPA) See U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Federal Seed Act See U.S. Department of Agriculture.
feedback inhibition The process by which the accumulated end product of a biochemical pathway stops synthesis of that product.
Feral Refers to an individual or population that has returned to the wild after a history of domestication.
Fermentation The anaerobic breakdown of complex organic substances, especially carbohydrates, by micro-organisms, yielding energy.
fermentation substrates Materials used as food for growing micro-organisms. The fermentation substrates and the trace materials needed, together with chemicals added to make the…
fermenter See: bioreactor.
fertile (FER-tul) Able to produce children.
fertility factor See: F factor.
Fertilization The union of two gametes from opposite sexes to form a zygote. Typically, each gamete contains a haploid set of chromosomes.
Fertilizer Any substance that is added to soil in order to increase its productivity. Fertilizers can be of biological origin (e.g.
Fetus (FEET-us) The developing offspring from 7 to 8 weeks after conception until birth.
Feulgen staining A histochemical stain by which the distribution of DNA in the chromosomes of dividing cell nuclei can be observed.
FIA Abbreviation for fluorescence immunoassay.
Fibril A microscopic to sub-microscopic cellulose thread that is part of the cellulose matrix of plant cell walls.
Fibroblast A connective tissue cell that makes and secretes collagen proteins.
fibroblasts Irregularly shaped, branching cells distributed throughout vertebrate connective tissue. A cell type which is readily cultured in vitro.
fibrous root Root system in which both primary and lateral roots have approximately equal diameters. Opposite: tap root.
field gene bank See: gene bank (2).
FIFRA The Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act. See Environmental Protection Agency.
filial generation See: F1, F2, Fn.
filter bioreactor A cell culture system, in which cells are grown on a fine mesh of an inert material, which allows the culture medium to flow past it but retains the cells.
filter sterilization Process of removing microbial contaminants from a liquid by passing through a filter with pores too small to allow the passage of micro-organisms and…
filtration 1. Separation of solids from liquids by using a porous material that only allows passage of the liquid or of solids smaller than the pore size of the…
Fingerprinting See: DNA fingerprinting.
FISH A laboratory technique used to look at genes or chromosomes in cells and tissues.
Fission The splitting of heavier atomic nuclei into lighter ones. In the case of heavy atoms (e.g., uranium, plutonium), this will release energy.
Fitness The survival value and the reproductive capability of an individual, compared to that of competitor individuals of the same or other species within a…
fixation The situation in which only one allele for a given gene/locus is present in a population.
flag See affinity tag.
flaming A technique for sterilizing instruments, to remove live micro-organism contaminants.
Flanking region The DNA sequences extending on either side of a specific locus or gene.
flavin adenine dinucleotide (Abbreviation: FAD). A co-enzyme important in various biochemical reactions. It comprises a phosphorylated vitamin B2 (riboflavin) molecule linked to AMP…
flocculant A chemical agent that causes small particles to aggregate (flocculate).
floccule A micro-organism aggregate or colloidal particle floating in or on a liquid. The cloudy appearance of micro-organism contaminated liquid media illustrates…
Flow cytometry A method of measuring the number of cells in a sample, the percentage of live cells in a sample, and certain characteristics of cells, such as size…
fluorescence immunoassay (Abbreviation: FIA). An immunoassay based on the use of fluorescence-labelled antibody.
fluorescence in situ hybridization (floor-EH-sents in SY-too HY-brih-dih-ZAY-shun) A laboratory technique used to look at genes or chromosomes in cells and tissues.
fluorescence-activated cell sorting (Abbreviation: FACS). A flow cytometry method in which targets (cells, individual chromosomes etc.
fluorescent probe A probe which is labelled with a fluorescent dye, so that the signal emitted can be captured by photometric methods.
flush end See: blunt end.
flush-end cut See: blunt-end cut.
foetus Pre-natal stage of a viviparous animal, between the embryonic stage and birth. AlteRNA tive spelling: fetus. See: embryo.
Fog Fine particles of liquid suspended in the air, such as of water in a fog chamber used for acclimatizing recent ex vitro transplants. See: mist propagation.
fold-back The structure of a double-stranded DNA molecule formed when a molecule containing an inverted repeat sequence is denatured and then allowed to re-anneal…
folded genome The condensed state of the chromosomal DNA of a bacterium. The DNA is segregated into domains, and each domain is independently negatively supercoiled.
follicle (FOL-i-kul) A sac or pouch-like cavity.
follicle stimulating hormone (Abbreviation: FSH). A hormone, secreted by the anterior pituitary gland in mammals, that stimulates the ripening of the specialized structures in the…
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Federal agency within HHS responsible for ensuring the safety and effectiveness of drugs, biologics, vaccines, and medical devices used (among others) in…
food processing enzyme Enzyme used to control food texture, flavour, appearance, or nutritional value.
Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act See Food and Drug Administration.
forced cloning The insertion of foreign DNA into a cloning vector in a predetermined orientation.
foreign DNA Exogenous DNA that is incorporated into a host genome.
formulation See: medium formulation.
forskolin A medicinal, diterpenoid, compound exclusive to plant roots and used in the preparation of drugs for the treatment of cardiomyopathy, glaucoma and certain…
fortify To add strengthening components or beneficial ingredients to a nutrient medium.
forward mutation A mutation from the wild type to the mutant type. Opposite: reverse mutation.
fouling The coating or plugging (by materials or micro-organisms) of equipment, thus preventing it from functioning properly.
founder animal An organism that carries a transgene in its germ line and can be used in matings to establish a pure-breeding transgenic line, or one that acts as a…
founder principle The possibility that a new, isolated population, initiated by a small number of individuals taken from a parent population, may be genetically different…
four-base cutter A type II restriction endonuclease with a four-nucleotide recognition site. Because any particular sequence of four bases occurs more frequently by chance…
fractionation Dividing the total dose of radiation therapy into several smaller, equal doses delivered over a period of several days.
fragment Partial structure. See: restriction fragment.
frameshift mutation A mutation that changes the reading frame of a DNA, either by the insertion or the deletion of nucleotides.
free water The cellular water released into the intercellular spaces when tissue is frozen and thawed. Opposite: bound water.
free-living conditions Natural or greenhouse conditions experienced by plantlets upon transfer from in vitro conditions to soil.
freeze preservation See: cryobiological preservation.
freeze-dry The removal of water as vapour from frozen material under vacuum. Used to measure water content and to preserve samples, particularly spores.
fresh weight The weight, including the water content, of a specimen. Synonym: wet weight.
Friable A term commonly used to describe a crumb-like callus. In this state, the callus is easily dissected and readily dispersed into single cells or clumps of…
FSH See: follicle stimulating hormone.
functional food A foodstuff that provides a health benefit beyond basic nutrition, demonstrating specific health or medical benefits, including the prevention and…
functional gene cloning See: candidate-gene strategy.
Functional genomics The field of research, that aims to determine patterns of gene expression and interaction in the genome, based on the knowledge of extensive or complete…
Fungicide An agent, such as a chemical, that kills fungi.
fungus A plant-like organism that does not make chlorophyll. Mushrooms, yeasts, and molds are examples. The plural is fungi.
Fusarium spp. A group of fungal pathogens of many economic crop species, particularly cereals, where severe infestation leads to losses in both grain yield and quality.
fusion biopharmaceuticals Fusion proteins with pharmaceutical properties. Their advantages are: 1. Synergistic activities in one molecule, i.e.
fusion gene (FYOO-zhun JEEN) A gene made by joining parts of two different genes. Fusion genes may occur naturally in the body by transfer of DNA between chromosomes.
fusion protein (FYOO-zhun PROH-teen) A protein made from a fusion gene, which is created by joining parts of two different genes.