Biotechnology is use of living organisms and their genetic information as tools in the development of agriculture, food and other industrial processes

Biotechnology is nothing new. For thousands of years, people have used yeasts, and bacteria to make bread, wine and cheese.

Traditional animal and plant breeding techniques have also been used for many years. These practices can be described as biotechnology, even though the term 'biotechnology' was not coined until 1917. 'Traditional' biotechnology techniques are widely used to purify active components from plants and animals for the production of cosmetics, drugs and health foods.

Modern biotechnology relies on the newer techniques of molecular biology and genetics which provide much more detailed understanding of living processes. Techniques used in modern biotechnology include DNA fingerprinting, industrial use of recombinant DNA, genetic engineering, novel processing techniques, gene mapping and cloning. Like traditional biotechnology, these approaches show humans enjoying the benefits of natural methods devised by Mother Nature in her billion-year-long experiments.