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TEACHING FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS USING RIBOFLAVIN AS EXAMPLE PIETZNER V., 1, ZORN H.2 1 Institute

of Biology and Chemistry, University of Hildesheim, Hildesheim, Germany. of Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Gießen, Gießen, Germany. E-mail: [email protected]

2 Department

Introduction Food Biotechnology accompanies mankind since thousands of years by using microorganisms to produce food. Typical biotechnological products such as beer, bread, wine and vinegar are established topics that are discussed in chemistry classes of upper secondary level. Also, a lot of publications can be found dealing with the usage of food in chemistry classes. But here, food is used to teach different analytical methods, to analyse different food additives or to talk about good nutrition. Modern ways of food production and processing are usually not taught in German Secondary Schools. Modern Food Biotechnology, however, includes more than just the production of food itself. Optimizing production technologies is also a vital part of this field, but this is not widely known. Another example is that basic knowledge on biotechnological production of vitamins is not widespread in public. Using the example of riboflavin, which is also an important food colour, it is possible to teach the basic biotechnological manufacturing processes used for food production as well as consequences of using food biotechnology for the environment.

Production and Usage of Riboflavin Production O

Riboflavin is produced biotechnologically since the 1970s. Merck was the first company that could produce

H3C

N

H3C

N

NH

it commercially successful. Especially Ashbya gossypii, Candida famata, or Bacillus subtilis were used to produce riboflavin [1]. The fungus A. gossypii and the

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yeast C. famata are natural overproducers of riboflavin.

H

OH

As carbon sources, plant oil (A. gossypii) and glucose

H

OH

(C. famata and B. subtilis) are used [2]. The usage of

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B. subtilis is already widely used in food biotechnology and can be engineered easily. Therefore, Roche started to use it for the production of riboflavin as well.

CH2OH Figure 1: Structure of Riboflavin

O

Recent studies show that lactic acid producing bacteria, in particular Lactobacillus fermentum, may also successfully be used for riboflavin production [3]. The annual production of La Roche, BASF and ADM of Riboflavin in the year 2000 was about 3,000 tons [1].

Usage Currently, 80 % of the world production of riboflavin is used as food additive in animal nutrition. For example, salmons need this additive in farms because they cannot produce it on their own. The remaining 20 % are used as food additive in human food (E 101), as dietary supplement (Vitamin B2 pills) or as cleaning control in pharmaceutical companies because riboflavin is UV active. Possibilities to include riboflavin production in chemistry curricula at upper secondary level The upper secondary level in Germany covers the grades 10-12. In 2009, a core curriculum was introduced in Lower Saxony [4]. In a core curriculum, the basic concepts of chemistry as well as the main competencies a student should have after finishing school are described. The basic concepts in chemistry are “Particles and Substances”, “Structure and Property”, “Donor and Acceptor”, “Kinetics and Chemical Equilibrium”, and “Energy”. Additionally, the core curriculum defines four areas of competence that have to be taken into account: Knowledge, Scientific Methods, Communication, and Reflection/Evaluation. This means that chemistry classes in schools not only have to promote scientific knowledge, but also the ability to discuss about chemistry topics and to explain them to different target groups. Additionally, students should be able to draw their own conclusions and to discuss possible consequences for society. The basic concepts of chemistry are combined with the four areas of competence, so that for each concept the knowledge, the scientific methods etc. the students should learn, are defined. In this matrix, it is necessary to identify opportunities to include the chemistry, usage and production of riboflavin.

In general, riboflavin can serve as model substance for several chemical phenomena and therefore can be implemented into the chemistry curriculum at several places. Consequently, it might help to build up of a cognitive net that includes an interdisciplinary view on natural sciences. It widens he students’ view on chemistry in a context of life sciences and supports the educational goal of promoting Scientific Literacy as an essential part of general education.

General Chemistry: The first option during upper secondary level to include riboflavin is the application of knowledge about redox reactions to organic systems, which is usually not taught at the lower secondary level. A model experiment that uses the fluorescence of riboflavin shows the redox reaction with oxygen [5]. Here, the concept of “Donor and Acceptor” can be applied to a biochemical system.

Vitamins: Vitamins are an essential part of our nutrition; a deficit of vitamins can lead to severe malfunctions in the human body. Vitamins, and with this, riboflavin and its biotechnological production can the included under this aspect. Before, it is necessary to deal with the different organic oxygen compounds. Vitamins are an excellent addition to the curriculum and may easily be linked with amino acids or other natural compounds. Both compound classes are important for a healthy nutrition, and both are produced biotechnologically. Therefore, by implementing Vitamins to the curriculum, food biotechnology can serve as linkage between different topics that are essential to everyday life. Additionally, students should be able to “evaluate and discuss different ways for using and processing different natural compounds with respect to the background of limited resources” [4]. It is obvious that the new way of producing natural compound by means of biotechnology is an ideal topic to implement this requirement to the curriculum.

Pigments: Usually, students at school only learn about the classical pigments produced by organic synthesis, like azo-dyes, because this topic can be linked with aromatic compounds. In addition, they deepen their knowledge about reaction mechanisms. But by using riboflavin as model pigment, the students can learn about a natural pigment that is part of our body and that was formerly produced by organic synthesis. This provides a very nice opportunity to compare a chemical synthesis in the lab with a biotechnological production method. This would have the effect that the students learn how biotechnology can support sustainable development.

These three examples show that it is not that difficult to find suitable places to implement riboflavin in the core curriculum. Teaching about its industrial production can show the importance of modern biotechnology for a sustainable development. For sustainability is widely discussed and therefore mentioned several times in the core curriculum, food biotechnology can enrich this discussion and widen the view of the students to an aspect of everyday life that is usually not in the peoples’ minds.

References [1] Stahmann, K.-P., Revuelta, J. L., Seulberger, H. Three biotechnical processes using Ashbya gossypii, Candida famata, or Bacillus subtilis compete with chemical riboflavin production. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2000, 53, 509-516 [2] Lim, S. H., Choi, J. S., Park, E.Y. Microbial Production of Riboflavin Using Riboflavin Overproducers, Ashbya gossypii, Bacillus subtilis, and Candida famate: An Overview. Biotechnol. Bioprocess Eng. 2001, 6, 75-88 [3] Jayashree, S., Jayaraman, K., Kalaichelvan, G. Isolation, Screening and Characterization of Riboflavin Producing Lactic Acid Bacteria from Katpadi, Vellore District. Rec Res Sci Tech 2010, 2(1), 83–88 [4] Ministry of Education of Lower Saxony: Core Curriculum for Grades 10-12 for Chemistry, 2009: http://db2.nibis.de/1db/cuvo/datei/kc_chemie_go_i_2009.pdf [5] Laier, B., Pfeifer, P. Riboflavin (Vitamin B2). NiU-C 1996, 31, 28-29