1. What is meant by "food security" ?
Answer
Having enough food to feed a population.
2. What is meant by "intensive farming" ?
Answer
Modern farming methods that maximise yields through the use of machines, fertilisers, herbicides and pesticides.
3. Which hormone to treat diabetes is purified and harvested from genetically modified bacteria ?
Answer
(Human) insulin.
4. Explain how intensively farming animals can increase the efficiency of food production.
Answer
The animals are kept inside in temperature‑controlled surroundings and may also be kept in pens with restricted movement. This means that less energy is transferred to the environment, less energy is required for movement, and less energy is lost in controlling body temperature, so more energy is available for growth.
5. Explain how the new type of fishing net can help to maintain fish stocks.
Answer
Only large fish are caught, while young fish are small enough to fit through the holes, allowing them to breed and maintain the population.
6. Mycoprotein is grown in a fermenter, then harvested and purified. The fermenter is sterilised before adding the microorganisms to make mycoprotein. Explain why.
Answer
To kill any microorganisms, bacteria, or fungi in the fermenter so they do not compete with Fusarium or produce toxins that could contaminate the mycoprotein.
7. Air is bubbled into the fermenter. Give two reasons why.
Answer
Provides oxygen for aerobic respiration and helps the medium to circulate inside the fermenter.
8. Describe the advantages of eating mycoprotein rather than eating animal products.
Answer
Fusarium grows faster than animals. Cultivating Fusarium is more efficient and requires only a small amount of land. It produces less methane and other greenhouse gases compared to farming cattle. Mycoprotein is healthier, containing less fat than meat. Unlike meat, eggs, and dairy products, mycoprotein provides dietary fibre. It also contains no cholesterol, whereas meat, eggs, and dairy products do contain cholesterol.