What is biotechnology? Biotechnology is a broad term that is applied to all living organisms. It is used for everything from microorganisms used to ferment beer to the most sophisticated forms of gene therapy. Biotechnology is the use of microorganisms or biological substances to perform industrial or manufacturing processes. (*1) The United States government defines it as being "any technique that uses living organisms or parts of living organisms to (1) make or modify products, (2) improve plants or animals, or (3) develop microorganisms for specific uses. Biotechnology is very useful for these purposes, but, also, in some cases, harmful, or not yet proven safe.
             The demand for food worldwide has increased the need for better and cheaper crops. Biotechnology has offered the needed technology to produce more nutritious and better tasting foods, and plants that are naturally protected from insects and diseases. Biotech. has also made possible selective breeding and hybridization of crops. These processes allow scientists to produce plants with specific beneficial traits and plants without undesirable traits as well. There are also benefits in the environment, where pesticides are used more rarely now. Biotechnology makes plant breeding safer. It allows scientists to move single genes instead of having to move thousands, and makes possible the identification of these genes and their protein products that are toxins.
             The first genetically engineered food went on the market in May 1994. It was a new kind of tomato, which could be shipped to different countries vine -- ripened without bruising and rotting rapidly. This genetically -- altered product was determined by the FDA to be as safe as other commercial tomatoes. The "Flavr Savr" was the first genetically engineered, "ready - to -eat" food product available to the USA. Especially in the off season, many customers are not satisfied with store bought tomatoes because they are e...