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Research article2020Peer reviewedOpen access

Update of the list of QPS-recommended biological agents intentionally added to food or feed as notified to EFSA 11: suitability of taxonomic units notified to EFSA until September 2019

Koutsoumanis, Kostas; Allende, Ana; Alvarez-Ordonez, Avelino; Bolton, Declan; Bover-Cid, 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; Escamez, Pablo Salvador Fernandez; Maradona, Miguel Prieto; Querol, Amparo;
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Abstract

Qualified presumption of safety (QPS) was developed to provide a generic safety evaluation for biological agents to support EFSA's Scientific Panels. The taxonomic identity, body of knowledge, safety concerns and antimicrobial resistance are assessed. Safety concerns identified for a taxonomic unit (TU) are where possible to be confirmed at strain or product level, reflected by 'qualifications'. No new information was found that would change the previously recommended QPS TUs and their qualifications. The list of microorganisms notified to EFSA was updated with 54 biological agents, received between April and September 2019; 23 already had QPS status, 14 were excluded from the QPS exercise (7 filamentous fungi, 6 Escherichia coli, Sphingomonas paucimobilis which was already evaluated). Seventeen, corresponding to 16 TUs, were evaluated for possible QPS status, fourteen of these for the first time, and Protaminobacter rubrum, evaluated previously, was excluded because it is not a valid species. Eight TUs are recommended for QPS status. Lactobacillus parafarraginis and Zygosaccharomyces rouxii are recommended to be included in the QPS list. Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius and Paenibacillus illinoisensis can be recommended for the QPS list with the qualification 'for production purposes only' and absence of toxigenic potential. Bacillus velezensis can be recommended for the QPS list with the qualifications; the absence of toxigenic potential and the absence of aminoglycoside production, including the genes encoding this. Cupriavidus necator, Aurantiochytrium limacinum and Tetraselmis chuii can be recommended for the QPS list with the qualification; for production purposes only. Pantoea ananatis is not recommended for the QPS list due to lack of body of knowledge in relation to its pathogenicity potential for plants. Corynebacterium stationis, Hamamotoa singularis, Rhodococcus aetherivorans and Rhodococcus ruber cannot be recommended for the QPS list due to lack of body of knowledge. Kodamaea ohmeri cannot be recommended for the QPS list due to safety concerns. (C) 2020 European Food Safety Authority. EFSA Journal published by John Wiley and Sons Ltd on behalf of European Food Safety Authority.

Keywords

safety; QPS; bacteria; yeast; Aurantiochytrium limacinum; Bacillus velezensis; Corynebacterium stationis; Cupriavidus necator; Hamamotoa singularis; Kodamaea ohmeri; Lactobacillus parafarraginis; Paenibacillus illinoisensis; Pantoea ananatis; Parageobacillus thermoglucosidasius; Protaminobacter rubrum; Rhodococcus aetherovorans; Rhodococcus ruber; Tetraselmis chuii; Zygosaccharomyces rouxii

Published in

EFSA Journal
2020, Volume: 18, number: 2, article number: 5965

    UKÄ Subject classification

    Food Science

    Publication identifier

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.2903/j.efsa.2020.5965

    Permanent link to this page (URI)

    https://res.slu.se/id/publ/112181