ABSTRACT
Objectives Although "biotechnology" and "genetic modification" are used interchangeably, the latter is a special set of technologies that alter the genetic structure and sequence of living organisms such as animals, plants, or bacteria. Biotechnology stands for a more general term referring to using living organisms or their components, such as enzymes, to make products that include wine, cheese, beer, and yoghurt. Combining genes from different organisms is known as recombinant (r) DNA technology, and the resulting organism is said to be "genetically modified (GM)," "genetically engineered (GE)," or "transgenic", depending mainly on whether the person who reviews them is positively or negatively inclined towards them. GM products (currently available or in the pipeline) include medicines and vaccines, foods and food ingredients, feeds, and fibres (http: / / w w w .ornl.gov / sci / techresources / H um an.G enom e / elsi / gmfood.shtml).
