Feeding the human race — OCR GCSE Biology
Test yourself on Feeding the human race with OCR GCSE practice questions.
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Feeding the human race explained
Biotechnological solutions provide sustainable, space-efficient methods to feed the expanding human population.
Read the full explanation
Genetic modification engineers staple crops with enhanced photosynthetic rates, drought resistance, and enriched nutritional content. Beyond crops, industrial microbiology utilizes large-scale fermenters to culture microorganisms. A prime example is the production of mycoprotein, a high-protein meat substitute derived from the filamentous fungus Fusarium. Cultured under continuous aerobic conditions with glucose syrup and mineral ions, mycoprotein generates high-fibre protein rapidly, requiring significantly less land, water, and fossil fuels than traditional cattle farming while producing minimal greenhouse emissions.
Your focus
- Describe how modern biotechnology and genetic modification address global food supply demands.
- Explain the industrial fermentation process used to produce mycoprotein from the fungus Fusarium.
- Evaluate the ecological sustainability and resource efficiency of microbiological protein production versus livestock farming.
Feeding the human race exam tips
Marking Points
- Describe genetic modification of crops to improve photosynthetic yield, stress tolerance, and micronutrient profiles.
- Explain the production of mycoprotein using the fungus Fusarium cultured in large industrial fermenters under aerobic conditions.
- Explain the environmental advantages of mycoprotein: requires far less land and water than livestock, generating protein with lower greenhouse emissions.
Examiner Tips
- 💡Remember the name of the fungus: Fusarium; it is grown in fermenters on glucose syrup to produce mycoprotein.
- 💡Compare mycoprotein to beef farming in terms of trophic efficiency: converting glucose directly into fungal biomass loses far less energy than feeding cattle.
Common Mistakes
- Stating mycoprotein is made from bacteria or plant leaves, rather than the fungus Fusarium.
- Forgetting that fungal fermenters require aerobic conditions with oxygen and continuous glucose and mineral supplies.