Planting dates, general practices

Elaboration of the fermentation technology also falls in this period, development accelerated, however, only after World War II. Outstanding results have been attained in the research and application of several other biotransformation procedures as well (e.g., in the transformation of antibiotics). Vitamin B12 production on an industrial scale was first introduced to the world in Hungary. Improvement of yeast strains and their application in the alcohol-, yeast- and wine industries became general practice in the 1960s, together with operation with up-to-date microbial methods for dairy products. Based on results attained abroad, several modern bioprocess plants started operation in the 1970s. 

The earliest evidence of human use of plants for healing dates to the Neanderthal period. In the 16th century, botanical gardens were created to grow medicinal plants for medical schools. Herbal medicine practice flourished until the 17th century, when more scientific pharmacological remedies were favored (see Thomas, 1997 Fontanarosa, 2000 and General References). 

Developing the appropriate intellectual property is also greatly facilitated by the continuing process docmnentation system being advocated herein. Laboratory notebooks and pilot plant log or batch sheets, while usefiil for assigning dates of reduction to practice, compositions of matter, procedural details and for the identification of inventors, are generally inadequate sources of cohesive process information and history. 

Similarly to the biosafety programme, the main outcome of the foods and feeds programme is the set of Consensus Documents on compositional considerations of new varieties of specific crops. The Task Force documents compile a common base of scientific information on the major components of crop plants, such as key nutrients, toxicants, anti-nutrients and allergens. These documents constitute practical tools for regulators and risk/safety assessors dealing with these new varieties, with respect to foods and feeds. To date, 20 Consensus Documents have been published on major crops and on general considerations for facilitating harmonisation. They constitute the Series on the Safety of Novel Foods and Feeds which is also available on the OECD s website at no cost (www.oecd.org/biotrack). 

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