An appeal for a more evidence based approach to biopesticide safety in the EU. Issue 1 (12th December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Raymond, Ben; Federici, Brian A
• Is Part Of: FEMS microbiology ecology. Volume 94:Issue 1(2018:Jan.)
• Publication Date: 2017-12-12
• Subjects: microbial pesticide -- risk assessment -- Bacillus thuringiensis -- biological safety; Microbial ecology -- Periodicals; Microbiology -- Periodicals; 579.17
• DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fix169
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0168-6496

Abstract

Abstract: EFSA responded to our perspective article on the safe use of the insect pathogen Bacillus thrurigiensis ( Bt ). In doing so they admitted that there is no direct evidence to suggest that B. thuringiensis can cause diarrhoea. They nevertheless continue to repeat the assertion that Bt cannot be distinguished from Bacillus cereus, even though nearly all Bt strains, and certainly all biopesticide strains, can be distinguished from B. cereus using multi-locus sequencing typing. EFSA also continue to repeat the unsupported and speculative hypothesis that Bt strains could be capable of causing cryptic infections in humans. This hypothesis is very much against the weight of all available safety and epidemiological data. Moreover, genotyping schemes of B. cereus group clinical infections also show that biopesticide strains have never been associated with human infections. Our position that Bt biopesticides and Bt isolates from the clade dominated by invertebrate pathogens are incapable of causing infections in humans is well supported by the international community of scientists familiar with the data on the safety of Bt after more than four decades of extensive use in agriculture and forestry. Abstract : EFSA, against a substantial weight of evidence, still repeat the speculative and unsupported hypothesis that Bt is capable of causing cryptic infections in humans; we urge them towards a more balanced view.