The editor selects two or three referees who are invited, in confidence, to evaluate the manuscript according to the following aspects:

• Originality of the work.

• Relevance to scientific knowledge in Biotechnology.

• Background: Theoretical background adequate. Hypothesis, objectives and clear contribution to Biotechnology. Updated and quality references (75% or more references from the last decade).

• Methodology: Materials and methods appropriate and adequately described. Sound experimental design.

• Results: Data concise and sufficient. Statistics analysis when appropiate. Efficiency measurements. Figures clear and correct, only essential data should be included in figures. Elimination of figures, graphs and tables which add little or could be replaced by a few sentences or a statement of numerical values is recommended.

• Discussion: In-depth discussion, correct interpretation.

• Formal Aspects: Correct language, references properly cited. High quality figures. Adherence to usual and consistent nomenclature. Title and summary sufficiently informative.

All the above items will be evaluated as outstanding, good, fair, mediocre or poor by an assessment form given to evaluators.

The article could be: accepted with no further revision; accepted after minor revision (no further review required); accepted only after major revisions, inappropriate for the journal; rejected.

If the paper is accepted after major revisions, it must be send again for peer review to the same evaluators.

FINAL DIGITAL TEST (GALLEY PROOF)

The authors are requested to do the galley proof before the article is available for public. They must check the HTML versions (full text and BIP). After receiving the authors final approval for the HTML, the PDF version is generated, according author's corrections.

Once all formats (HTML and PDF) are ready, the article is announced and becomes available for all audiences.