Risk Assessment of Streptococcus thermophilus Used as "Other Substances"

The Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety (Vitenskapskomiteen for mattrygghet, VKM) has, at the request of the Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet; NFSA), assessed the risk of "other substances" in food supplements sold in Norway. These risk assessments will provide NFSA with the scientific basis while regulating the addition of “other substances” to food supplements and other foods. "Other substances" are described in the food supplement directive 2002/46/EC as substances other than vitamins or minerals that have a nutritional and/or physiological effect. It is added mainly to food supplements, but also to other foods. VKM has not in this series of risk assessments of "other substances" evaluated any claimed beneficial effects from these substances, only possible adverse effects. The present report is a risk assessment of Streptococcus thermopilus, and it is based on previous risk assessments and articles retrieved from a literature search. The risk of S. thermophilus was assessed for the general population. However, in previous assessments of “probiotics” published by VKM, concerns have been identified for specific groups. Therefore, the risk was assessed for the age group with immature gastro-intestinal flora (age group 0-36 months), population with mature gastro-intestinal flora (>3 years) and vulnerable groups independent of age. VKM has also assessed the risk of S. thermophilus in food supplements independent of the dose and have assessed exposure in general terms. Other sources of S. thermophilus, such as foods, have not been included in the present risk assessment. VKM concludes that it is unlikely that S. thermophilus causes adverse health effects in the general healthy population with mature gastro-intestinal tract. Acquired resistance genes have been detected in this species and the assessment of susceptibility to antibiotics for each single strain is required. However, no data on long-term adverse effects on infants and young children were identified. As evidence is accruing that the early microbial composition of the neonatal gut is important for the development of the gut flora and the immune system of the growing child, it is not possible to exclude that a daily supply of a single particular bacterial strain over a prolonged period of time to an immature gastro-intestinal tract may have long-term, although still unknown, adverse effects on that development.

Keywords

Adverse health effect, negative health effect, Norwegian Food Safety Authority, Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food Safety, other substances, risk assessment, VKM, Streptococcus thermophilus, food supplement

Citation

Grahek-Ogden Danica, Eckner Karl, Kapperud Georg, Lassen Jørgen, Narvhus Judith, Nesbakken Truls, Robertson Lucy, Rosnes Jan Thomas, Skjerdal Olaug Taran, Skjerve Eystein, Vold Line, Yazdankhah Siamak, Wasteson Yngvild. Risk Assessment of Streptococcus thermophilus Used as "Other Substances". European Journal of Nutrition and Food Safety. 2018 Dec; 9(1): 39-40

URI

https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/189596

Collections

European Journal of Nutrition & Food Safety

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