Journal of Biotechnology, 31 (1993)125-131 125 © 1993ElsevierSciencePublishers B.V. All rights reserved0168-1656/93/$06.00 BIOTEC 00942 Food, agricultural and marine biotechnology in Chile J.M. Aguilera, E. Agosin and R. San Martin Department of Chemical Engineering, Catholic University, Santiago, Chile (Received23 October1991;revisionaccepted28 November1992) Summary Economic segments with highest growth rates in Chile are those based on renewable resources like agriculture (fruits and vegetables), marine and forest products. Opportunities for biotechnology are based on a sound scientific base at universities, adequate funding and incipient industry-academia relationships. However, there is an urgent need to develop the engineering capabilities required to scale-up processes and to design, build and operate industrial biotechnology plants. Separation; Bioprocess; Food; Wood; Marine; Cellulose; Hydrolyzate; Enzyme Introduction All definitions of biotechnology encompass two key aspects: first, the use of living organisms or their parts, and second, the manufacture of commercial products. When the organisms used have been altered by the introduction of new genes or the modification of existing genes, then the term 'modem' biotechnology is usually employed. This preface is necessary in order to distinguish between the 'traditional' scientific work done for decades by molecular biologists and microbio- logists in university laboratories from a new product-oriented, interdisciplinary effort which constitutes biotechnology, involving biochemists, microbiologists, engi- neers, economists in a common thrust aiming at industrial production. Correspondence to: J.M. Aguilera, Departmentof Chemical Engineering,CatholicUniversity,P.O. Box 306, Santiago22, Chile.