The Use of GM Yeast in the Brewing Industry - Coursework Example

The use of GM Yeast in the brewing industry In today’s age of technological advancement and in which science and the human knowledge are both advancing everyday, everything is almost possible. Due to human’s creative imagination which is influenced by needs, science has always been instrumental to the success of human civilization. In today’s modern age, new breakthrough technologies have been highlighted that are either gaining controversy or public acceptance. The hidden revolution of biotechnology is a proof. The developments of genetically modified foods and genetically modified micro-organisms have gained controversies and continuous debate today. To be much more specific, the development of genetically modified yeast in brewing industry can be one of the most important topics worth for evaluation. Before digging deeper on the issue of genetically modified yeast in the traditional brewing industry, let us first try to review the basic concept of genetic modification in an organism and let us further understand some basic implications of this technology. Just to give a simple and specific view about the term, genetically modified organism (GMO) is an organism such as bacteria, fungi, viruses, plants and animals in which the genes are being altered or being inserted with the genes of other organisms with defined characteristics. Let us try to take a look at this concept in the case of Bt corn. To increase the yield of corn, a Bacillus thuringiensis specific gene which is harmful to some pests of corn was inserted into the plant through genetic modification process and molecular techniques. For a complete illustration, please refer to Illustration I. Bt corn is designed to increase yield by improving the resistance of corn to some pests. It is claimed that the bottom line of this breakthrough is to help humans by feeding their rapidly exploding population, improve socio-economic condition and the list goes on and on. Many positive things can be enumerated. However, despite its positive promises or benefits, there are still various concerns and deviations related to disapproval of GMO that have been continuously raised. The Pew Initiative on Biotechnology (2005) reported that European’s disapproval and attitudes on GM crops and Food is influenced by experience of major food crisis, insufficient trust in food regulators, the variation of cultural attitudes on food, pervasive media coverage of the issue, influential activism and on the belief that it is risky and not useful to society. Illustration I: Genetically modified corn, Bt corn (Rosenthal 2007) The above stated information showed us just some of the many related concerns underlying the development of GMO in the 21st century. Moving back to the issue of introducing genetically modified yeast in traditional brewing industry, it can be assumed that there are also many issues about this type of GMO that need attention just prior to its public acceptance. It is very crucial to analyse the stand of traditional breweries in Europe such as Hook Norton Brewery, Oxfordshire, England and the U.K. as far as the genetically modified yeast is concerned. Furthermore, this can be properly addressed by understanding the very important role of yeast in brewing industry. Yeast is defined in Encyclopedia Britanica (2009) as single-celled fungi with high economic importance and currently used in food and beverage industries for production of bread, beer and wine. The types commonly used in the production of bread, beer and wine are ascomycete yeasts using the strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a size of about 0.003 inch (0.075 mm) in diameter (Encyclopedia Britanica 2009). Yeasts have played significant part in brewing industry. Its discovery in 1860’s by Louis Pasteur had paved way to the discovery of Brewer’s Yeast used in traditional breweries today. This Brewer’s Yeast has special roles and functions in obtaining quality brewed beer that for many years has become a part of culture and tradition. Yeasts are organisms that can live without oxygen through the process called fermentation. It is due to this fermentation process that the Brewer’s Yeast got a significant link with traditional brewing process. Figure I: Images of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) (Davidson College 2004) The images of Saccharomyces cerevisiae are presented in Illustration II. These are the microorganisms responsible for the fermentation process in Brewing traditional beer particularly in England and UK. In his book entitled “How to Brew”, Palmer (1999) presented all the basic information that are important in brewing a traditional beer. He provided all the necessary information that can be helpful to somebody attempting to understand the basic and more about brewing. He provided the following summarized brewing process. 1. To release the malt sugars, malted barley will be soaked in hot waters. 2. Next, the obtained malt sugar solution will be boiled with Hops for seasoning. 3. After the solution is being placed in the cooking process, yeast will be added to initiate the fermentation process. 4. The yeast will ferment the sugar to come up with carbon dioxide and ethyl alcohol as by products of the process. 5. After the main fermentation, the beer is now ready to be placed in bottles and a little sugar is added for carbonation to take place. The process seems to be simple as it may sound. However, understanding the details of the science of fermentation and the brewing process in particular had fascinated various experts especially on how to make improvements with the traditional process of making beer. Moving into the idea of genetically modified yeast and its possibility of being used in traditional brewing system is not close. In fact, the traditional way of making beer has to be refined or needs improvement at certain level as far as more reasons to do it are concerned. In fact, some experts believed that there are still more things needed to be improved in traditional brewing. Bamforth (2003) presented the following ideas on how genetically modified yeast can improve or enhance traditionally made beer. 1. Other components of beer that are beneficial to health can be boost up. 2. The brewing process can be done more cheaply. 3. Not all starch from barley is converted into fermentable sugars in conventional brewing process. Bamforth (2003) further discussed that in a specific type of genetically modifying brewer’s yeast, the genetic code from an organism which is capable of extra conversion of starch into fermentable sugars (Sacchromyces diastaticus) is transferred to the strain of Sacchromyces cerevisiae lager. There are different types of strains of brewer’s yeasts. The choice of what strain to use can give significant effect to flavor and characteristic of the beer and some strains are simply unacceptable for brewing due to poor balance of produced flavor compound (Priest and Stewart 2006). These are just some of remarkable modern advancement in brewing. These are further suggesting future positive improvements in brewing industry particularly in its production process. Genetically modified yeast can produce beers having more ethanol but minimizing unwanted by product (American Society for Microbiology 2009). The awareness of public in various related health issues and its growing acceptance of possible causes of different diseases had triggered various studies in the field of biotechnology. GMO is not last on the list. In fact, different types of yeasts are under study and have been genetically modified to develop a beer with a reduced alcohol or calories but have not been used in UK though (GMO Compass 2006). US scientists have developed BioBeer using genetically modified brewer’s yeast that produces resveratrol to fight diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and other age-related conditions (Bland 2008). However, for more than 150 years of traditional brewing, genetically modified yeast is not yet in commercial use especially in Europe even if it is now open for commercial use. The use of genetically modified yeast remains purely for research purposes though. It can be remarkable that as part of its marketing strategy, various websites of traditional brewing companies in England and UK are very proud to label their products as made out of traditional process. Just in the case of Hook Norton Brewery, in its website, http://www.hooknortonbrewery.co.uk/, it specifically highlighted its products as traditionally made with the finest natural ingredients. As one might critique on this, this sounds very conservative towards change and modern technology. For more than a decade in brewing beer, it stayed its conservative principle. This further supports the idea of Bamforth (2003) that no brewer wants to be first in the market having a product labeled as product of gene technology. With all of these information presented in this paper, there is no point as of the moment of the brewery to stay traditional. In fact, so much had changed in the understanding towards brewery as both science and art. Thomas (2007) pointed that scientists have discovered various beer-making strains of yeast in which brewers secretly used to distinguish their brand from the other brand. She added that brewers’ understanding on the science of brewing had changed a lot which resulted to customization of beer like coming up with darker brews, lighten the flavor and calories and add more water. What is now needed are more studies that can pave way to greater options heading towards commercial acceptance of genetically modified yeast in traditional brewing industry. If traditional breweries adapt genetically modified yeast in their production process, socially, there will be divided perceptions that surely will take place. The reason that for more than 150 years traditional breweries have stayed traditional as pointed out by Bamforth (2003), is an indication that Europeans have strong opinions that can be summarized through ethical, social, environmental and economic aspects. As pointed out by the Pew Initiative on Biotechnology (2005), Europeans are concerns on the risks and usage of GMO in the society. This can be clearly observed to how most of Europeans have resisted the introduction of gene technology. In fact, of all the nations in European Union, the UK, Austria and Finland are the only countries which have lower tendency to reject GM foods (The Pew on Biotechnology 2005). As mentioned in the introduction The Pew Initiative on Biotechnology (2005), Europeans’ acceptance of genetically modified foods is influenced by experience of major food crisis, insufficient trust in food regulators, variations of cultural attitudes on food, pervasive media coverage of the issue, influential activism and on the belief that it is risky and not useful to society. This further implies that Europeans are more concerned on their safety and they would not invest further on things that cannot be socially or environmentally beneficial to all. This can be seen on how Europeans have responded to the introduction of other genetically modified foods. The on going research on genetically modified yeast even with the approval of UK government for commercial use is also an indication that Europeans are further concerned on health and other impacts of this technology. This further proves that in the event of commercial use of genetically modified yeast in traditional brewery, just provided it is well-studied and regulated, more and more Europeans would be willing to accept this technology. After all, Europeans are just trying to ensure potential benefits that are impeccably marked safe. Provided that genetically modified yeast will be commercially in use, the brewing process can be done cheaply as suggested by Bamforth (2003). This is a potential economic impact that can be an important criterion towards public acceptance of genetically modified yeast. More and more researches have been going on regarding with the genetically modified yeast. And there is one thing that is behind of this, the willingness to go for change and acceptance of the new breakthrough technology which is made out fresh from science. References American Society for Microbiology, 2009. Environmentally Friendly Beer Brewing: Repaired Gene Improves Commercial Lager Fermentation. ScienceDaily. Available from: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090421101635.htm [Accessed 22 April 2009]. Bamforth C., 2003. Beer: Tap into the Art and Science of Brewery. 2nd ed. New York: Oxford University Press. Bland, E., 2008. GM beer could be good for your health. ABC Science. Available from: http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2008/12/02/2435419.htm [Accessed 23 April 2009]. Davidson College, 2004. Images of Yests [photograph]. Department of Biology. Available from: http://www.bio.davidson.edu/courses/genomics/2004/Bossie/MFYG.html [Accessed 22 April 2009]. Encyclopedia Britanica, 2009. Yeast. Available from: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/ topic/652395/yeast [Accessed 21 April 2009]. GMO Compass, 2006. Beer. Available from: http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/ database/find/214.beer.html [Accessed 22 April 2009]. Munrue, J. H., 2006. Fermentation. In: Priest, F. G. and Stewart, G. G., ed. Handbook of Brewing. CRC Press, 503. Palmer J. J., 1999. How to Brew. Brewers Publication. Rosenthal, E., 2007. Both Sides Cite Science to Address Altered Corn [photograph]. Dominic Di Zinno. Available from: http://samsara-politic.blogspot.com/2007_12_01_archive.html [Accessed 22 April 2009]. The Pew Initiative on Biotechnology, 2005. US vs. EU: An Examination of the Trade Issues Surrounding Genetically Modified Food.Availablefrom:http://www.pewtrusts.org/uploadedFiles/ wwwpewtrustsorg/Reports/Food_and_Biotechnol ogy/Biotech_USEU1205.pdf [Accessed 22 April 2009]. Thomas, K., 2007. Beer, and the biochemist behind it. TheScientist.com. Available from: http://www.the-scientist.com/news/display/52923/ [Accessed 21 April 2009] Read More