Microbiology in Food Production

Biology Grade 12 Unit 1: Application of Biology

• Biology is the science that studies all living things, from bacteria to whales.
• It encompasses understanding organisms from the smallest (0.1 micrometer bacteria) to the largest (90,000 to 136,000 kilograms blue whales).

Applications of Biology

• Biologists study specific subsets of living organisms (e.g., birds, plants, bacteria).
• They investigate disease origins and effects on plants and animals.
• They examine the functions of living organisms (physiology, biochemistry).
• Evolutionary biologists study the evolution of species.
• Pharmaceutical scientists discover new drugs.
• Genetic engineers utilize genetic engineering.
• Cytologists research applications using mother cells.
• Zoologists study animals and their behaviors.
• Botanists study plants.
• Microbiologists, Mycologists, and Pathologists examine microorganisms.
• Environmental scientists study global warming.

Application in Conservation of Natural Resources

• Natural resources, including soil, water, air, plants, animals, and energy, exist independent of human action.
• Renewable resources can be produced endlessly (e.g., sunlight, crops, water, trees, livestock, wind).
• Non-renewable resources exist in a fixed amount and cannot easily be replaced (e.g., fossil fuels, minerals, nuclear fuels).
• Conservation involves preserving natural resources.
• Ethiopia is rich in natural resources, which include various minerals (e.g., gold, platinum, potash, limestone) and natural resources, as well as lakes & water falls.
• Timber, many crop plants, coffee plantations, diverse animals, and birds form rich ecosystems, representing renewable resources.
• Examples of renewable resources in Ethiopia include coffee, Walia Ibex, sunlight, and the Ethiopian Bush crow.
• Main sources of renewable resources include agricultural products, solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy, tidal energy, wave energy, and biofuels.

Non-Renewable Resources

• Non-renewable resources are natural substances that are not replaced at the same rate as they are used.
• Examples of non-renewable resources include metals (e.g., gold, iron) fossil fuels (e.g., oil, natural gas, coal), and others.
• Conservation of non-renewable resources is important given their negative environmental impact (e.g., climate change).

Energy Sources

• Energy sources are classified into renewable and non-renewable types.
• Renewable energy sources include wind, hydropower, solar, geothermal energy, biomass, etc.
• Non-renewable energy sources include oil, coal, nuclear fuels, etc.

Environmental Impacts of Mining

• Mining activities can harm natural habitats.
• Oil, fuel, and chemical spills can contaminate surrounding environments (soil, rivers, groundwater).
• Mining operations can cause air pollution.

Conservation Biology

• Conservation biology aims to protect and restore biodiversity.
• This field focuses on preserving the diversity of life on Earth.

Food and Nutrition Security

• Food security for all people includes achieving physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food to meet diverse needs, at all times.
• Availability of food, Accessibility to food, and Affordability of food are all important aspects of food security.
• Nutrition security involves individuals having access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food, safe water, and adequate sanitation.
• Health care services, household, and community practices for preparing and storing food, and hygiene practices.
• Prolonged lack of nutrition from poverty can cause stunted growth, slow cognitive development, and increased susceptibility to illness.

Biotechnology Applications

• Biotechnology involves applying technologies using living organisms, or their products, for producing goods beneficial to humans.
• Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) incorporate genetic material via recombinant DNA technology.
• Transgenic organisms receive genetic material from other species.
• A gene from one species introduced into another is called a transgene.
• Biotechnology is used in various products like pharmaceuticals, gene therapy, and transgenic plants/animals.

Biomining

• Biomining employs microbes to extract minerals, as ore concentrations decrease.
• A key example is the bacterium Thiobacillus ferrooxidans, which oxidizes sulfur, enabling the release of metals like copper, zinc, lead, and uranium.

Solid Waste Treatment

• Solid waste, especially non-biodegradable components (metals, plastics), is often treated in landfills.
• Biodegradable components (food waste, textiles) decompose over time, often at varying speeds.
• Modern landfills may have systems to manage methane to prevent hazards. - Composting accelerates the decomposition of organic materials, creating humus.

Wastewater Treatment

• Wastewater treatment aims to eliminate undesirable substances and microorganisms before water enters natural environments. - Treatment commonly involves physical processes to remove floating debris and sedimentation to reduce biochemical oxygen demand.
• Secondary treatment involves microbial decomposition of organic matter in aerobic environments like trickling filters or activated sludge basins, reducing BOD.
• Sludge produced can be further processed through anaerobic digestion for biogas generation, water treatment, or soil conditioners.

Bioremediation

• Bioremediation utilizes living organisms to detoxify and remove environmental pollutants.
• Saprotrophic microbes break down a wide range of substances, including toxic ones (like mercury) with a process called biodegradation.
• Bioremediation can convert harmful substances into less harmful substances, using biotransformation.

Biofuels

• Biofuels are alternative to fossil fuels, often produced by fermenting plant materials (like corn) or crop residues (e.g. cellulose/hemicellulose).
• Biogas production involves anaerobic breakdown of organic waste matter (manure, crops, etc.) by bacteria/archeans to produce methane, valuable as an energy source.
• Biofuels/biogas may be used for cooking, lighting, and alternative energy sources.

Composting

• Composting utilizes aerobic microorganisms to convert solid organic matter into stable humus, effectively reducing waste bulk, and improving soil conditions though the creation of nutrients.

Cloning

• Cloning is a method of producing identical copies of biological materials (genes, cells, or organisms).
• Clones are genetically identical organisms or cells resulting from asexual reproduction or man-made cloning techniques.

Biological Warfare

• Biological warfare involves using pathogens to harm people, animals, or the environment.
• Biological weapons can range from a simple hoax to deadly agents capable of producing widespread devastation.

Applications in Industry

• Enzymes—produced by commercially fermenting readily available feedstocks (corn steep liquor, molasses)—are used in various industries, and often produced by non-pathogenic organisms.

Additional Topics

• Fermented milk—some are made using organisms like Lactobacillus—and fermented meats are common practices in various societies.
• Beer and wine are made by fermenting sugary products using yeast.