Summary : The world's population is estimated to double by the year 2033. In Asia, food demand is expected to exceed supply by the year 2010. This poses a huge challenge to agricultural systems. Traditional farming equipment and practices are reaching the limits of their effectiveness in increasing agricultural productivity. As countries develop, people are also demanding more and better food. These pressures are multiplied by shrinking farmland, rising labour costs and shortages of farm workers. Food biotechnology (or genetic modification) offers an additional method to improve the sustainability of existing farmlands and to improve the quality of our food supply. The potential benefits of biotechnology are numerous and include providing resistance to crop pests, increasing crop yield and reducing chemical pesticide usage. The processing of food and food ingredients using biotechnology provides a wide variety of fermented foods and food ingredients that are extensively used.