Open AccessUpdate of the list of QPS‐recommended biological agents intentionally added to food or feed as notified to EFSA 8: suitability of taxonomic units notified to EFSA until March 2018
Author(s) -
Ricci Antonia,
Allende Ana,
Bolton Declan,
Chemaly Marianne,
Davies Robert,
Fernández Escámez Pablo Salvador,
Girones Rosina,
Koutsoumanis Konstantinos,
Lindqvist Roland,
Nørrung Birgit,
Robertson Lucy,
Ru Giuseppe,
Sanaa Moez,
Simmons Marion,
Skandamis Panagiotis,
Snary Emma,
Speybroeck Niko,
Ter Kuile Benno,
Threlfall John,
Wahlström Helene,
Cocconcelli Pier Sandro,
Peixe Luisa,
Maradona Miguel Prieto,
Querol Amparo,
Suarez Juan Evaristo,
Sundh Ingvar,
Vlak Just,
Barizzone Fulvio,
Correia Sandra,
Herman Lieve
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
efsa journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.076
H-Index - 97
ISSN - 1831-4732
DOI - 10.2903/j.efsa.2018.5315
Subject(s) - food safety , mandate , microbiology and biotechnology , business , biology , food science , political science , law
The qualified presumption of safety ( QPS ) was developed to provide a harmonised generic pre‐evaluation procedure to support safety risk assessments of biological agents performed by EFSA 's Scientific Panels. The identity, body of knowledge, safety concerns and antimicrobial resistance of valid taxonomic units were assessed. Safety concerns identified for a taxonomic unit are, where possible and reasonable in number, reflected by ‘qualifications’ which should be assessed at the strain level by the EFSA 's Scientific Panels. During the current assessment, no new information was found that would change the previously recommended QPS taxonomic units and their qualifications. The Panel clarified that the qualification ‘for production purpose only’ implies the absence of viable cells of the production organism in the final product and can also be applied for food and feed products based on microbial biomass. Between September 2017 and March 2018, the QPS notification list was updated with 46 microorganisms from applications for market authorisation. From these, 28 biological agents already had QPS status, 15 were excluded of the QPS exercise from the previous QPS mandate (10 filamentous fungi and one bacteriophage) or from further evaluations within the current mandate (two notifications of Streptomyces spp. and one of Escherichia coli ), and one was excluded where confirmatory data for the risk assessment of a plant protection product ( PPP ) was requested ( Pseudomonas sp.). Three taxonomic units were (re)evaluated: Paracoccus carotinifaciens and Paenibacillus lentus had been previously evaluated in 2008 and 2014, respectively, and were now re‐evaluated within this mandate, and Yarrowia lipolytica, which was evaluated for the first time. P. carotinifaciens and P. lentus cannot be granted QPS status due to lack of scientific knowledge. Y. lipolytica is recommended for QPS status, but only for production purpose.