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Outlook of educational preparation for future bioprocess engineers |
Y. M. LO, Dept. of Nutrition & Food Science, Univ. of Maryland, Food Bioprocess Engineering Lab., 3304 Marie Mount Hall, College Park, MD 20742 The emergence of recombinant DNA and monoclonal antibody technologies has challenged engineers and scientists to develop the methods and facilities required to manufacture the products derived from biotechnology. Although products analogous to these new biotechnology products had been made previously, the number and diversity of products, and the number of companies involved, has grown tremendously. Crucial to the successful commercialization of these products is bioprocessing, the technology that encompasses the many steps required to their economic and efficient commercial-scale synthesis, isolation, purification, and formulation. Other than human health care, bioprocessing has found intensive development in agriculture, the food industry, fine chemicals, and the environment. Seen by many as a limiting factor in the successful application of biotechnology, the field of bioprocessing involves many areas of expertise, and requires the fulfillment of several criteria for success. Although disciplinary and professional specializations are still useful for discovery of knowledge, presentation of foundational concepts, and introduction of the specialized methods of the discipline, many have found this structure inadequate as the only method of organizing knowledge. Therefore, integral efforts are needed to strengthen the educational preparation of individuals entering this field to rapidly take on tasks in operating the production facility and in developing manufacturing capacity. For example, biological and biochemical expertise are required to develop and conduct the processes for the synthesis and purification of the products. A broad range of engineering expertise is required to design and construct the many aspects of the manufacturing facility. Furthermore, an understanding of regulatory requirements from the viewpoints of pharmaceutical standards, environmental concerns, and food safety is also essential. It is important to keep in mind that the success of bioprocessing is measured in terms of reliability of the overall process, time from conception to routine operation, cost of production, and satisfaction of regulatory requirements.
Session 8, Challenges and outlook of bioprocess engineering in food
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