Open AccessScientific Opinion on the update of the list of QPS‐recommended biological agents intentionally added to food or feed as notified to EFSA (2017–2019)
Author(s) -
Koutsoumanis Kostas,
Allende Ana,
AlvarezOrdóñez Avelino,
Bolton Declan,
BoverCid Sara,
Chemaly Marianne,
Davies Robert,
De Cesare Alessandra,
Hilbert Friederike,
Lindqvist Roland,
Nauta Maarten,
Peixe Luisa,
Ru Giuseppe,
Simmons Marion,
Skandamis Panagiotis,
Suffredini Elisabetta,
Cocconcelli Pier Sandro,
Fernández Escámez Pablo Salvador,
Maradona Miguel Prieto,
Querol Amparo,
Suarez Juan Evaristo,
Sundh Ingvar,
Vlak Just,
Barizzone Fulvio,
Correia Sandra,
Herman Lieve
Publication year - 2020
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.2020.5966
Subject(s) - food safety , genetically engineered , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , food science , genetics , gene
The qualified presumption of safety ( QPS ) was developed to provide a safety pre‐assessment within EFSA for microorganisms. Strains belonging to QPS taxonomic units ( TU s) still require an assessment based on a specific data package, but QPS status facilitates fast track evaluation. QPS TU s are unambiguously defined biological agents assessed for the body of knowledge, their safety and their end use. Safety concerns are, where possible, to be confirmed at strain or product level, and reflected as ‘qualifications’. Qualifications need to be evaluated at strain level by the respective EFSA units. The lowest QPS TU is the species level for bacteria, yeasts and protists/algae, and the family for viruses. The QPS concept is also applicable to genetically modified microorganisms used for production purposes if the recipient strain qualifies for the QPS status, and if the genetic modification does not indicate a concern. Based on the actual body of knowledge and/or an ambiguous taxonomic position, the following TU s were excluded from the QPS assessment: filamentous fungi, oomycetes, streptomycetes , Enterococcus faecium , Escherichia coli and bacteriophages. The list of QPS ‐recommended biological agents was reviewed and updated in the current opinion and therefore now becomes the valid list. For this update, reports on the safety of previously assessed microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts and viruses (the latter only when used for plant protection purposes) were reviewed, following an Extensive Literature Search strategy. All TU s previously recommended for 2016 QPS list had their status reconfirmed as well as their qualifications. The TU s related to the new notifications received since the 2016 QPS opinion was periodically evaluated for QPS status in the Statements of the BIOHAZ Panel, and the QPS list was also periodically updated. In total, 14 new TU s received a QPS status between 2017 and 2019: three yeasts, eight bacteria and three algae/protists.