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Food sector is one of the major beneficiaries of biotechnology development, being able to ensure in the near future most of the elements needed of the human feeding. Most technological processes for obtaining food are biotechnologies that are based on the use of microorganisms or their metabolites. Food production must be carried out in accordance with domestic and international hygiene standards and in accordance with consumer requirements. The role of biotechnology is overwhelming in the food industry, becoming, at the same time, one of the most dynamic areas of research. Thus, global problems related to food, health, population aging and sustainable development can find many answers in the field of biotechnology. In order to make products or improve technological processes, food biotechnology involves the industrial processing of various raw materials with the help of added biological agents, the most important of which are enzymes and bacteria. Biotechnologies in the food industry have developed impressively through the use of exogenous enzymes and starter crops. This paper aims to provide a brief description of the most common enzymes and bacteria used in food biotechnology and some aspects about their management in the context of food safety and consumer protection. The most used bacteria in the food industry belong to the genera Streptococcus, Lactobacillus, Leuconostoc, Pediococcus, Streptomyces and Propionibacterium. From the point of view of the management of enzymatic preparations used in the food industry, they must be produced under conditions similar to a good food manufacturing practice, and by their use there should be no increase of the total number of germs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to establish the existence of a correlation between mitotic activity in Helianthus annuus (sunflower) and seed production, taking into research five genotypes (G1-G5). The mitotic index had variable values (19.5%-39.4%). It was found a direct correlation between high mitotic activity (39.4%) and high production (2,105 kg/ha); the G3 genotype was the one that stood out from this point of view. Also, the G4 genotype, which recorded the lowest value of the mitotic index (19.5%), was noted with the lowest value of yield (1,758 kg/ha). The results suggest that genotype is one of the most dynamic indicators for sunflower cytogenetic research. This comes in support of genetic research for sustainable management of the agricultural system in general and sunflower crops in special. An intense mitotic activity is directly correlated with plant growth, development and fructification at optimal parameters. However, in addition to intense mitotic activity, environmental factors also play a decisive role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic and biotechnological progress of the Helianthus annuus L. (sunflower) it can be catalogued through two major directions, namely: tissue culture and meristems in vitro, for the induction and selection of useful characters and genetic engineering or DNA manipulation, for plants transformation. In general, sunflower tissues are very easy to grow, but the problem arises due to the low reproducibility, sunflower being one of the most difficult species from this point of view. The two methods of the vitrocultivated sunflower regeneration are organogenesis and embryogenesis, the difference between them being given by the different number of cells from which the neoplants are formed. To date, a limited number of sunflower genotypes have been found for regeneration. For this reason, several methods are sought for the regeneration of this plant, as it is a necessity to find new, stronger genotypes that adapt to the current conditions. From this point of view, the use for vitroculture of tissues initiated from immature sunflower embryos is an effective strategy for plant regeneration. So far, good results have been obtained in the reproductive genetics of this plant but other future results are being sought, when it is expected that genetic and biotechnological progress will continue. One of the basic research methods of genetics and genetic engineering remains the study of gene expression and the elucidation of new aspects at the genome level of the species H. annuus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]