EFSA Updates List of Microbial Agents Intended for Food and Feed Presumed to be Safe
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recently updated its list of qualified presumption of safety (QPS)-recommended microbiological agents intentionally added to food or feed. QPS is a regularly updated generic pre-valuation of the safety of microorganisms, based on an assessment of published data for each agent, with respect to its taxonomic identity, the body of relevant knowledge, and safety concerns.
The list of microorganisms is maintained and reevaluated approximately every 6 months. The present list represents microbiological agents notified to EFSA between October 2022 and March 2023. Within this period, 38 notifications were received by EFSA, of which 28 were proposed for evaluation in feed; five for use as food enzymes, food additives and, flavorings; and five as novel foods. Only four microorganisms were evaluated in the current statement, because 20 were already deemed QPS and 14 were types of microorganisms (eight filamentous fungi, four Enterococcus faecium, and two Escherichia coli) that are excluded from QPS.