Bioprospecting

The article discusses that the product applications of bioprospecting are almost limitless. This area of biotechnology has been labeled bioprospecting, and it is a practice that is creating worldwide controversy. Defined simply, bioprospecting is scientific research that looks for a useful application, process, or product in nature. However, as with most biotechnologies, the definition does not address the complexities of bioprospecting. Archeologists are finding that some biotechnologies, such as the use of herbs for medicine and the use of fermentation and yeast in food products, date back 5,000 to 10,000 years (De Miranda, 2004). The four main categories of biotechnologies are agriculture, pharmaceutical, environmental, and industrial (De Miranda, 2004). Products and processes that stem from bioprospecting are already abundant in areas of agriculture, pharmaceutical, environmental, and industrial biotechnology. Another reason might be the complex relationships that make up the field of biotechnology (i.e. interaction of agriculture, biology, chemistry, medicine, and engineering