Open AccessUpdate of the list of QPS ‐recommended biological agents intentionally added to food or feed as notified to EFSA 13: suitability of taxonomic units notified to EFSA until September 2020
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,
Sijtsma Lolke,
Suarez Juan Evaristo,
Sundh Ingvar,
Vlak Just,
Barizzone Fulvio,
Hempen Michaela,
Herman Lieve
Publication year - 2021
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.2021.6377
Subject(s) - food safety , bacillus circulans , biology , microbiology and biotechnology , food science , bacteria , genetics
The qualified presumption of safety ( QPS ) approach was developed to provide a regularly updated generic pre‐evaluation of the safety of biological agents, intended for addition to food or feed, to support the work of EFSA 's Scientific Panels. It is based on an assessment of published data for each agent, with respect to its taxonomic identity, the body of knowledge, safety concerns and antimicrobial resistance. Safety concerns identified for a taxonomic unit ( TU ) are, where possible, confirmed at strain or product level, and reflected by ‘qualifications’. In the period covered by this statement, no new information was found that would change the status of previously recommended QPS TU s. Of the 36 microorganisms notified to EFSA between April and September 2020, 33 were excluded; seven filamentous fungi (including Aureobasidium pullulans based on recent taxonomic insights), one Clostridium butyricum , one Enterococcus faecium , three Escherichia coli , one Streptomyces spp. and 20 TU s that had been previously evaluated. Three TU s were evaluated; Methylorubrum extorquens and Mycobacterium aurum for the first time and Bacillus circulans was re‐assessed because an update was requested in relation to a new mandate. M. extorquens and M. aurum are not recommended for QPS status due to the lack of a body of knowledge in relation to use in the food or feed chain and M. aurum, due to uncertainty concerning its pathogenicity potential. B. circulans was recommended for QPS status with the qualifications for ‘production purposes only’ and ‘absence of cytotoxic activity’.