qualified presumption of safety
A safety assessment procedure for microbes used in the food chain. QPS uses existing knowledge about the safety of specific microbes to differentiate those which are not of concern (and can be given QPS status) from those which may represent a risk and should be subject to a full safety assessment
The Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) is an assessment approach that EFSA uses to assess the safety of microorganisms that are intentionally added to food or feed, such as bacteria, yeasts, or fungi used in fermentation or as probiotics. It means that a group of microorganisms is presumed to be safe, provided that certain clearly defined conditions (the “qualifications”) are met.
EFSA uses the QPS system to make safety assessments faster and more consistent. When a microorganism has a long history of safe use and no known safety concerns, EFSA can grant it QPS status. This allows future safety evaluations to focus only on specific risks, such as toxin production or antimicrobial resistance, rather than reassessing the whole organism each time. EFSA regularly updates and publishes the QPS list, helping EU authorities and industry ensure that microorganisms used in food and feed are safe while reducing unnecessary testing.