Beans are a major part of the diet in one region. Many people in the region do not obtain enough of a particular mineral, which can cause a deficiency disease.
Scientists genetically engineered bean plants so that their seeds contain more of this mineral. Researchers recorded the percentage of people with the deficiency disease before and three years after farmers began growing the GM beans.
| Beans eaten in the villages | Before growing GM beans (%) | Three years later (%) |
|---|---|---|
| conventional beans | 18 | 17 |
| GM beans containing more of the mineral | 19 | 8 |
Suggest how these results provide evidence that the GM beans improved people's health.
127 exam-style questions on OCR GCSE Biology 6.2 Feeding the human race, covering 6.2.1 Biological factors affecting food security, 6.2.2 Agricultural solutions to growing demand, 6.2.3 Selective breeding, 6.2.4 Genetic engineering, 6.2.5 Steps in genetic engineering, 6.2.6 Benefits and risks of gene technology in agriculture, and 6.2.7 Biotechnological solutions to growing demand. Each one has a worked solution and a mark scheme showing where the marks go.