Biotechnology is based on utilizing biomaterials, cells or organisms, to develop breakthrough technologies and products. In recent years, biotechnology has developed innovative solutions aiding in overcoming some of the fundamental challenges the world faces, such as combating rare diseases, environmental challenges, food- and land shortage and ensuring food safety. Biotechnology is therefore improving people’s health and life, as well as ecological sustainability.
ORF Genetics use biotechnology to produce its portfolio of growth factors in barley seeds. Growth factors play a key role in cell research and therapeutic applications.
They are used in medical research such as stem cell research and regeneration medicine. Growth factors have a significant potential for reversing aging effects on the skin. Moreover, growth factors play a major role in the newly emerging industry of cell cultured meat. Cell cultured meat will supply meat to the growing world population, without slaughtering animals, with much less emissions, using a fraction of the land, water, and energy resources used in traditional meat production.
HISTORY OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
Before 1970, this technology was mainly used in food production and agriculture, but since then the technology has expanded into genetic engineering, biomaterials technology and more.
Plant biotechnology is based on the use of plants to genetically produce new proteins, e.g. valuable, specific proteins for food processing, research, pharmaceuticals, and cell culture.
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN DAILY LIFE
All fermented foods, such as bread, wine, beer, cheese, yoghurt, skyr, sourdough, pickled vegetables, soy sauce, and fermented sausages, can be considered biotechnological products, as their production is both directly and indirectly dependent on the involvement of fermenting microorganisms such as yeast or bacteria.
Since the middle of the 20th century, a large number of new products have added to the flowering of biotechnology, including various enzymes, vitamins, medicines, and other substances for domestic or industrial use. The products are produced with the help of organisms in culture tanks, usually due to how difficult or expensive it is considered to produce them by chemical means.