MARIKINA SCIENCE HIGH SCHOOL

MAYOR JUAN CHANYUNGCO ST., STA. ELENA, MARIKINA CITY

Biotechnology 8
Second Quarter
Activity Sheet #2
(Techniques and practices used in Traditional Biotechnology)

Name: ________________________ Date: ____________________

Grade & Section: _______________ Teacher: Jan Mari S. Buenaflor

MELCS:

Discuss techniques or practices used in traditional biotechnology (cheese, soy sauce, vinegar making, nata
de coco, etc.)

Unpacked Objectives:

 Identify and describe the techniques and practices used in traditional biotechnology
 Enumerate techniques and practices used in traditional biotechnology

Lesson:

History of Biotechnology

The utilization of biological processes, organisms or systems to produce products that are anticipated to improve
human lives is termed biotechnology. Broadly, this can be defined as the engineering of organisms for the purpose of
human usage. It can also be defined as the skill set required for the utilization of living systems or the influencing of
natural processes so as to produce products, systems or environments to help human development. Currently
biotechnology places more emphasis on the establishment of hybrid genes followed by their transfer into organisms
in which some, or all, of the gene is not usually present. In prehistoric times, a primitive form of biotechnology was
practised by agriculturalists who established better-quality species of plants and animals by methods of cross-
pollination or cross-breeding. Previous forms of biotechnology include the training and selective breeding of animals,
the cultivation of crops and the utilization of micro-organisms to produce products such as cheese, yogurt, bread,
beer and wine. Early agriculture concentrated on producing food.

The most primitive type of biotechnology is the cultivation of plants and the training (in particular the domestication) of
animals. The domestication of animals stretches back over 10 000 years, when our ancestors also started
maintaining plants as a reliable source of food. The earliest examples of such domesticated plants are rice, barley
and wheat. Wild animals were also controlled to produce milk or meat. The ancient production of cheese, yogurt and
bread from micro-organisms is also reported. Various alcoholic drinks such as beer and wine were developed during
this period, when the process of fermentation was first discovered.

Later, it was discovered that micro-organisms, e.g. bacteria, yeast or molds, hydrolyze sugars when they lack oxygen
and are ultimately responsible for fermentation. This process results in the formation of products (food and drink).
Consequently, fermentation was perhaps first explored by chance, since in earlier times nobody knew how it worked.
During the prehistoric era some civilizations considered fermentation to be a gift from their gods. Scientific evidence
for fermentation was first described by Louis Pasteur in the late 1800s. He demonstrated a theory known as germ
theory, presenting the survival of micro-organisms and their further effects on the process of fermentation. Pasteur's
efforts contributed towards several branches of science. In earlier times several traditional medicines were used as
biotechnology products, such as honey, which could be used to treat several respiratory ailments and as an ointment
for wounds. Since honey contains several antimicrobial compounds it is considered to be a natural antibiotic and is
effectively used in wound healing. Similarly, in China as far back as 600 BC, soybean curds were used to treat boils.
Ukrainian farmers once used utilized moldy cheese to treat infected wounds. It was later observed that antibiotics
present in such molds killed bacteria and averted the spread of infection. In 1928 Alexander Fleming extracted
penicillin, the first antibiotic, from mold. This discovery revolutionized the available treatments, with antibiotics having
more potential and being more effective than earlier medicines. The development of biotechnology in terms of crop
rotation (including leguminous crops), vaccinations and animal-drawn technology, was realized between the late
eighteenth century and the commencement of the nineteenth century.
(Ref: https://iopscience.iop.org/book/978-0-7503-1299-8/chapter/bk978-0-7503-1299-8ch1)

Early Examples of Biotechnology

Early examples of biotechnology include breeding animals and crops, and using microorganisms to make cheese,
yoghurt, bread, beer and wine. The earliest example of biotechnology is the domestication of plants and animals.
Domestication began over 10,000 years ago when our ancestors started keeping plants as a reliable source of food.
Rice, barley and wheat were among the first domesticated plants. Wild animals were tamed to provide milk or meat
or help with ploughing or guarding the farm. The dog, sheep and goat are thought to be among the first animals that
were domesticated.

Making new foods using biotechnology

Louis Pasteur
Louis Pasteur (1822-1895) was a French chemist who made several key discoveries. He proved that infectious
diseases were caused by microorganisms, developed the first vaccines and invented pasteurisation. Our early
ancestors used microorganisms to make cheese, yoghurt and bread. They also made alcoholic drinks like beer and
wine. All of these foods and drinks are made by fermentation. Fermentation is the process that many microorganisms
(yeasts, moulds and bacteria) use to convert sugars into energy. The products generated from fermentation affect the
nature of the food that the microorganism is in - carbon dioxide causes bread to rise, lactic acid makes yoghurt sour,
and alcohol is produced in the formation of beer and wine.

Fermentation was probably discovered by accident, and our early ancestors didn’t know how it worked. Some
societies thought fermentation was a miracle or gift from their god.

Louis Pasteur first described the scientific basis for fermentation in the late 1800s. Pasteur’s hypothesis, called the
germ theory, showed the existence of microorganisms and their effect on fermentation. Pasteur’s work gave birth to
many branches of science.

Traditional medicines

History of honey healing

Peter Molan explains that honey has been used in medicine since ancient Egyptian times.

Some traditional medicines also used organisms or parts of organisms. For example, the ancient Egyptians used
honey for respiratory infections and as an ointment for wounds. Honey is a natural antibiotic, killing the germs in
wounds. By about 600BC, the Chinese were using mouldy soybean curds to treat boils. Similarly, Ukrainian peasants
were using mouldy cheese to treat infected wounds. The moulds released natural antibiotics that killed bacteria and
prevented the spread of infection. Despite these natural treatments, it wasn’t until 1928 that Alexander Fleming first
extracted penicillin – the first antibiotic – from mould.

Examples of selective breeding

Teosinte and maize

Teosinte is an ancient grain thought to have been selectively bred into maize 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. It has few
kernels, and they are enclosed in a hard casing.

Early pioneers of selective breeding mated organisms with desirable traits to enhance these traits in their
offspring. Selective breeding pioneers were manipulating the genetic makeup of organisms, without even realising it.

Corn is a dramatic example of a plant that has been enhanced by selective breeding to become a better source of
food. Early teosinte plants (about 5000BC) had small cobs with few kernels, but by 1500AD, the corn cobs were
more than 5 times the size and packed full of sweet, juicy kernels.

Dog breeds are another example of selective breeding. There are more than 100 breeds of dog, all resulting from
selective breeding. Dogs were bred for specific jobs and to enhance traits such as size, shape, agility and colour,
resulting in breeds from the tiny Chihuahua to the Great Dane.

(Reference: https://www.sciencelearn.org.nz/resources/1204-ancient-biotechnology)

Prepared By:

JAN MARI S. BUENAFLOR

Biotechnology Teacher