Biotechnology Biotechnology is is now now established established as as a a major major area area of of technology, technology, concerned concerned with with the' the' application application of of biological biological organisms, organisms, systems systems or or processes processes to to manufac­ turing turing or or service service industries'. industries'. Although Although the the exploitation exploitation of of organisms organisms by by man man is is not not new, new, many many of of the the techniques techniques which which are are stimulating stimulating the the rapid rapid advances advances in in biotechnology biotechnology have have developed developed from from recent recent scientific scientific discoveries. discoveries. Throughout Throughout history history man man has, has, knowingly knowingly or or not, not, been been exploiting exploiting yeast yeast in in the the production production of of alcoholic alcoholic beverages beverages and and bread, bread, and and these these processes processes still still represent represent major major biotechnological biotechnological industries. industries. The The brewer's brewer's and and baker's baker's yeast yeast Sac­ charomyces charomyces cerevisiae cerevisiae is, is, however, however, also also a a favoured favoured organism organism for for the the production production of of many many new new biotechnological biotechnological products. products.