Food and beverage industriesFuel productionChemical and pharmaceutical manufacturersWaste managementMany other areas of social, environmental, and economic importanceIndexing: BIOSIS Database, Current Awareness in Biological Sciences, Chemical Abstract Service, The Eng. Index, Compendex, Cambridge Scientific Abstracts, Current Contents, IndexMedicus, Ebsco, ISIISI Journal Citation Reports 2000 cited half life 7.3.EDITORSDr. Graham G. StewartDirector, International Centre for Brewing & DistillingHeriot-Watt UniversityRiccarton CampusEdinburgh EH144ASScotland. Tel 44 131 451 3184Inge Russell, Ph.D., D.Sc.467 Commissioners Rd. E.London, Ont. CanadaN6C 2T6e-mail: IngeRussell@sympatico.caEDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARDWinston J. Brill, Ph.D.Winston J. Brill & Associates4134 Cherokee DriveMadison, WI 53711Arnold L. Demain, Ph.D.Department of BiologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology77 Massachusetts AvenueCambridge, MA 02139Jose Roberto Ernandes, PhDInstituto De QuimicaUNESPRua Professor Francisco DegniBairro Quitandinha CEP 14800-900Araraquara, SP BrasilE-mail: ernandes@iq.unesp.brPeter P. Gray, Ph.D.Department of BiotechnologyUniversity of New South WalesP.O. Box 1Kensington, NSW 2033, AustraliaByron F. Johnson, Ph.D.Department of BiologyCarleton UniversityOttawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6Argyrios Margaritis, Ph.D., F.C.I.C.Department of Chemical andBiochemical EngineeringUniversity of Western OntarioLondon, Ontario, Canada, N6A5B9 Biotechnological techniques, from fermentation to genetic manipulation, have become increasingly relevant to the food and beverage, fuel production, chemical and pharmaceutical, and waste management industries. Consequently, academic as well as industrial institutions need to keep abreast of the concepts, data, and methodologies evolved by continuing research.This journal provides a forum of critical evaluation of recent and current publications and, periodically, for state-of-the-art reports from various geographic areas around the world. Contributing authors are recognized experts in their fields, and each article is reviewed by an objective expert to ensure accuracy and objectivity of the presentation.