In the second edition of this bestselling textbook, new materials have been added, including a new chapter on real time polymerase chain reaction (RTPCR) and a chapter on fungal solid state cultivation. There already exist a number of excellent general textbooks on microbiology and biotechnology that deal with the basic principles of microbial biotechnology. To complement them, this book focuses on the various applications of microbial-biotechnological principles. A teaching-based format is adopted, whereby working problems, as well as answers to frequently asked questions, supplement the main text. The book also includes real life examples of how the application of microbial-biotechnological principles has achieved breakthroughs in both research and industrial production. Although written for polytechnic students and undergraduates, the book contains sufficient information to be used as a reference for postgraduate students and lecturers. It may also serve as a resource book for corporate planners, managers and applied research personnel. Contents: Principles of Microbial Biotechnology: Screening for Microbial Products (Alex Y L Teo and Hai Meng Tan)Bioprocess Technology (Yuan Kun Lee)Enzymology (Theresa May Chin Tan)Manipulation of Genes (Azlinda Anwar, Heng-Phon Too and Kim Lee Chua)Applications of Bioinformatics and Biocomputing to Microbiological Research (Paxton Loke and Tiow Suan Sim)Real Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (Heng-Phon Too and Azlinda Anwar)Food Production Involving Microorganisms and Their Products: Regulation of Foods Involving Genetically Engineered Microorganisms (Desmond K O'Toole and Yuan Kun Lee)Fermented Foods (Desmond K O'Toole and Yuan Kun Lee)Food Involving Yeast and Ethanol Fermentation (Desmond K O'Toole and Yuan Kun Lee)Fungal Solid State Cultivation (Desmond K O'Toole)Food Ingredients (Desmond K O'Toole and Yuan Kun Lee)Enzyme Modified Food Products (Desmond K O'Toole and Yuan Kun Lee)Microbes in Agrobiotechnology: Microbes and Livestock (