Food Biotechnology — page 4 of 34

3,375 terms

Food Biotechnology terms

  1. bio-energetics The study of the flow and the transformation of energy that occur in living organisms.
  2. bio-engineering The use of artificial tissues, organs and organ components to replace parts of the body that are damaged, lost or malfunctioning.
  3. bio-enrichment Adding nutrients or oxygen to increase microbial breakdown of pollutants.
  4. bio-ethics The branch of ethics that deals with the life sciences and their potential impact on society.
  5. bio-informatics The use and organization of information of biological interest. In particular, concerned with organizing bio-molecular databases (particularly DNA…
  6. Bioaugmentation Increasing the activity of bacteria that decompose pollutants; a technique used in bioremediation.
  7. bioavailability The proportion of a nutrient or administered drug etc. that can be taken up by an organism in a biologically effective form.
  8. Biobased products Fuels, chemicals, building materials, or electric power or heat produced from biological material(s).
  9. biocatalysis The use of enzymes to improve the efficiency of chemical reactions.
  10. biochip See: DNA chip.
  11. biocontrol Pest control by biological means. Any process using deliberately introduced living organisms to restrain the growth and development of other organisms…
  12. bioconversion Conversion of one chemical into another by living organisms, as opposed to their conversion by isolated enzymes or fixed cells, or by chemical processes.
  13. Biodegradable Capable of being biodegraded.
  14. biodegrade The breakdown by micro-organisms of a compound to simpler chemicals. Materials that are easily biodegraded are colloquially termed biodegradable.
  15. biodesulphurization The removal of organic and inorganic sulphur from coal by bacterial and soil micro-organisms.
  16. Biodiversity The wide diversity and interrelatedness of earth organisms based on genetic and environmental factors.
  17. Bioenrichment Adding nutrients or oxygen to increase microbial breakdown of pollutants.
  18. Biofilms See Microbial mats.
  19. Biofuel A gaseous, liquid or solid fuel derived from a biological source, e.g. ethanol, rapeseed oil or fish liver oil.
  20. Biogas A mixture of methane and carbon dioxide resulting from the anaerobic decomposition of waste such as domestic, industrial and agricultural sewage.
  21. bioleaching The recovery of metals from their ores, using the action of micro-organisms, rather than chemical or physical treatment.
  22. biolistics A technique to generate transgenic cells, in which DNA -coated small metal particles (tungsten or gold) are propelled by various means fast enough to…
  23. biological ageing See: senescence.
  24. Biological boundaries A concept that differentiates one organism from another and suggests that organisms cannot or should not exchange genetic material.
  25. biological containment Restricting the movement of organisms from the laboratory. Can take two forms: making the organism unable to survive in the outside environment, or making…
  26. biological control See: biocontrol.
  27. Biological diversity See: biodiversity.
  28. Biological oxygen demand (Abbreviation: BOD). The dissolved oxygen required for the respiration of a population of aerobic organisms present in water.
  29. Biologics Agents, such as vaccines, that give immunity to diseases or harmful biotic stresses.
  30. bioluminescence The enzyme-catalyzed production of light by a number of diverse organisms (e.g. fireflies and many deep ocean marine organisms).
  31. biomagnification See: bio-accumulation.
  32. Biomass The aggregate amount of living matter or a specific species within a specific habitat, or the total number of a specific species in a specific habitat.
  33. biomass concentration The amount of biological material in a specific volume.
  34. Biome A major ecological community or complex of communities, extending over a large geographical area and characterized by a dominant type of vegetation.
  35. biometry (by-AH-meh-tree) The science of collecting and analyzing biologic or health data using statistical methods.
  36. biomimetic materials Employed to describe synthetic analogues of natural materials with advantageous properties.
  37. biopesticide A compound that kills organisms by virtue of specific biological effects rather than as a broader chemical poison.
  38. Biopharming The use of genetically transformed crop plants and livestock animals to produce valuable compounds, especially pharmaceuticals.
  39. biopiracy The patenting of genetic stocks, and the subsequent privatization of genetic resources collections.
  40. biopolymer Any large polymer (protein, nucleic acid, polysaccharide) produced by a living organism.
  41. bioprocess Any process that uses complete living cells or their components (e.g. enzymes, chloroplasts ) to effect desired physical or chemical changes.
  42. bioreactor A tank in which cells, cell extracts or enzymes carry out a biological reaction. Often refers to a fermentation vessel for cells or micro-organisms.
  43. biorecovery The use of micro-organisms for the recovery of valuable materials (metals or particular organic compounds) from complex mixtures.
  44. Bioremediation The use of microorganisms to remedy environmental problems. See Bioaugmentation, Bioenrichment.
  45. biosafety Referring to the avoidance of risk to human health and safety, and to the conservation of the environment, as a result of the use for research and…
  46. biosafety protocol An inteRNA tionally agreed protocol set up to protect biological diversity from the potential risks posed by the release of genetically modified organisms.
  47. biosensor A device that uses an immobilized biologically-related agent (such as an enzyme, antibiotic, organelle or whole cell) to detect or measure a chemical…
  48. biosilk A biomimetic fibre produced by the expression of the relevant orb-weaving spider genes in yeast or bacteria, followed by the spinning of the expressed…
  49. biosorbents Micro-organisms which, either by themselves or in conjunction with a substrate are able to extract and/or concentrate a desired molecule by means of its…
  50. Biosphere The part of the earth and its atmosphere that is inhabited by living organisms.
  51. biosynthesis Synthesis of compounds by living cells, which is the essential feature of anabolism.
  52. biosynthetic antibody binding sites (Abbreviation: BABS). See: dAb.
  53. Biotechnology The scientific manipulation of living organ- isms, especially at the molecular genetic level, to produce useful products.
  54. Biotechnology-derived The use of molecular biology and/or recombinant DNA technology, or in vitro gene transfer, to develop products or to impart specific capabilities in…
  55. biotic factor Other living organisms that are a component of an organism's environment, and form the biotic environment, affecting the organism in many ways.
  56. Biotic stress Living organisms which can harm plants , such as viruses, fungi, and bacteria, and harmful insects. See Abiotic stress.
  57. biotic stress Stress resulting from attack by pathogenic organisms.
  58. biotin A vitamin of the B complex, it acts as a co-enzyme for various enzymes that catalyse the incorporation of carbon dioxide into various compounds, and is…
  59. biotin labelling The attachment of biotin to another molecule, especially DNA.
  60. biotinylated-DNA A DNA molecule labelled with biotin by incorporation of a biotinylated nucleotide (usually uracil ) into a DNA molecule.
  61. Biotope A small habitat in a large community.
  62. biotoxin A naturally produced compound which shows pronounced biological activity, toxic to some or many organisms.
  63. biotransformation The conversion of one chemical or material into another using a biological catalyst : a near synonym is biocatalysis, and hence the catalyst used is…
  64. bivalent Two paired homologous chromosomes (one of maternal origin; the other of paternal origin) at prophase to anaphase of the first meiotic division.
  65. blast cell A large, rapidly dividing cell that develops from a B cell in response to an antigenic stimulus.
  66. Blastocyst A mammalian embryo (fertilized ovum) in the early stages of development, approximately up to the time of implantation.
  67. blastomere Any one of the cells formed from the first few cleavages in animal embryology. The embryo usually divides into two, then four, then eight blastomeres, and…
  68. Blastula In animals, an early embryo form that follows the morula stage; typically, a single-layered sheet (blastoderm) or ball of cells (blastocyst ).
  69. bleeding 1. Collection of blood from immunized animals. 2. Used to describe the occasional purplish-black colouration of media due to phenolic products given off…
  70. blot As a verb, to transfer DNA, RNA or protein to an immobilizing matrix. As a noun, the immobilizing matrix carrying DNA, RNA or protein.
  71. blunt end The end of a double-stranded DNA molecule in which neither strand extends beyond the other. Synonym: flush end.
  72. blunt-end cut To cut a double-stranded DNA with a restriction endonuclease which generates blunt ends . Synonym: flush-end cut.
  73. blunt-end ligation The joining of two blunt-ended double-stranded DNA molecules.
  74. BOD Abbreviation for biological oxygen demand.
  75. boring platform Sterile bottom half of a Petri dish used for preparing explants with a cork borer.
  76. bound water Cellular water not released into the intercellular space upon freezing and thawing. Opposite: free water.
  77. bovine growth hormone See: bovine somatotrophin
  78. bovine somatotrophin (Abbreviation: BST) A natural protein in cattle. It has been cloned, using recombinant DNA technology, expressed in large amounts and marketed as an…
  79. bovine somatotropin See: bovine somatotrophin.
  80. bovine spongiform encephalopathy (Abbreviation: BSE) Cattle disease (colloquially called mad cow disease) caused by proteinaceous infectious particle s.
  81. Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) A disease of cattle, related to scrapie of sheep, also known as “mad cow disease.
  82. BP See Base pair.
  83. bract A modified leaf that subtends flowers or inflorescences and may appear to be a petal.
  84. breed 1.a sub-specific group of domestic livestock with definable and identifiable external characteristics that enable it to be separated by visual appraisal…
  85. breed at risk An animal breed that is in danger of becoming extinct because its population has fallen below a critical number.
  86. breeding The process of sexual reproduction and production of offspring.
  87. breeding value A quantitative genetics term, describing that part of the deviation of an individual phenotype from the population mean that is due to the additive…
  88. brewer's yeast Strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae that are used for the production of beer.
  89. bridge A filter paper or other substrate used as a wick and support structure for a plant tissue in culture when a liquid medium is used.
  90. broad-host-range plasmid A plasmid that can replicate in a number of different bacterial species.
  91. broad-sense heritability The proportion of the total phenotypic variation which results from genetic variation or interaction between the genotype and the environment.
  92. broodstock The group of males and females from which fish are bred.
  93. browning Discolouration of freshly cut surfaces of plant tissue due to phenolic oxidation.
  94. BSA Abbreviation for bovine serum albumin.
  95. BSE Abbreviation for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. See protein aceous infectious particle.
  96. BST Abbreviation for bovine somatotrophin.
  97. Bt See Bacillus thuringiensis.
  98. Bt corn A corn plant that has been developed though biotechnology so that the plant tissues express a protein derived from a bacterium, Bacillus thuringiensis…
  99. bubble column fermenter A bioreactor in which the cells or micro-organisms are kept suspended in a tall cylinder by rising air, which is introduced at the base of the vessel.
  100. bud A region of meristematic tissue with the potential for developing into leaves, shoots, flowers or combinations of these; generally protected by modified…

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