Published January 22, 2026 | Version v12
Technical note Open

Protocol for Extensive literature search (ELS) for the maintenance and update of list of QPS-recommended biological agents

  • 1. European Food Safety Authority
  • 2. Spanish National Research Council (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC), Spain
  • 3. Universidad de León, Spain
  • 4. ROR icon Statens Serum Institut
  • 5. Institute of Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain
  • 6. Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna (Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna, UNIBO), Italy
  • 7. ROR icon Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail
  • 8. ROR icon Ghent University
  • 9. Technical University of Denmark, National Food Institute, Denmark
  • 10. ROR icon National Food Administration
  • 11. Faculdade de Farmacia da Universidade do Porto (FFUP), Portugal
  • 12. Agricultural University of Athens
  • 13. Italian National Institute of Health (Istituto Superiore di Sanita, ISS), Italy
  • 14. Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy
  • 15. Universidad Politecnica de Cartagena, Spain
  • 16. Spanish National Research Council (Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, CSIC)
  • 17. Wageningen University and Research Centre,. The Netherlands
  • 18. Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
  • 19. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
  • 20. Insttitute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research, Ministry of the Flemish Community, Belgium
  • 21. French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Agence Nationale de Sécurité Sanitaire de l'Alimentation, de l'Environnement et du Travail, ANSES)

Contributors

  • 1. European Food Safety Authority

Description

The aim of the Extensive Literature Search (ELS) carried out in response to the terms of reference set out in the EFSA mandate on the Qualified Presumption of safety (QPS), i.e. review of the recommendations for the QPS list and specific qualifications, was to identify any publicly available studies reporting on safety concerns for humans, animals or the environment caused by organisms that have QPS status, for the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) 2025 list  The details on the protocol approach are presented here.

o        Version 1 is related to 2019 update QPS opinion (ON-5966).

o        Version 2 is related to QPS Statement part 13 (ON-6377). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 3 is related to QPS Statement part 14 (ON-6689). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 4 is related to QPS Statement part 15 (ON-7045). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 5 is related to QPS Statement part 16 (ON-7408). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 6  is related to QPS Statement part 17 (ON-7746). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 7 is related to QPS Statement part 18 (ON-8092). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 8 is related to QPS Statement part 19 (ON-8517).The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes  in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 9 is related to QPS Statement part 20 (ON-8882). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes  in taxonomic nomenclature.

o        Version 10 is related to QPS Statement part 21 (ON-9169). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes  in taxonomic nomenclatur

o        Version 11 is related to QPS Statement part 22 (ON-9510). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

o     Version 12 is related to QPS Statement part 23 (ON-9824). The protocol has been updated to reflect additions to the QPS list and changes in taxonomic nomenclature.

Notes

EU; en; docx;PDF; biohaz@efsa.europa.eu

 

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