Different laws and regulations set limits for the application of useful microorganisms. An international picture of the current situation was provided at a course and symposium held under the auspices of the DOM research programme.
Microorganisms can contribute to alleviating environmental problems in plant cultivation by replacing chemical pesticides with biological control, or reducing nutrient loss through growth stimulation. Microorganisms can also be used in different production processes, for example within the food industry. All of these applications usually require large-scale cultivation of microorganisms with good storage and handling properties. Safe usage of microorganisms requires, therefore, detailed impact analyses, often a registration procedure, and evaluations of process and product safety. Regulations
The research programmeDOM , Domestication of microorganisms for non-conventional applications, is a CenterofExcellence for research and development on such microorganisms and the regulations regarding their use. In early October, theDOMprogramme organized a combined international course and symposium at the SwedishUniversity of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) in Uppsala. The event was called Microbes and the Law — Setting the Limits for Practical Use.
The course provided an overview and critical analysis of the different laws and regulations that set the limits today for the employment of useful microorganisms in different applications. Experts from academia, government agencies and private companies in seven different countries presented current rules. This included, for example, rules for registering and using biological controls in the European Union and the rest of the world, but also the importance of international agreements for transboundary exchange of microbiological biological diversity, use of genetically-modified microorganisms in laboratories and the environment, and microorganisms as active components in food and fodder. “Special presentations by industry representatives contributed to a very lively and constructive discussion," says Ingvar Sundh fromDOM .
Inspirational speakers
New findings regarding assessments of microorganisms´ safety, and the possible repercussions of the new knowledge on laws and policy development, were presented at the symposium. “The symposium´s three invited speakers gave inspiring reviews of the balance between today´s regulations and real dangers associated with biological control of insects with insect-pathogen fungi, biological control of plant illnesses with fungi or bacteria, and the use of microorganisms in food production," says Sundh. The 57 symposium participants came from 13 different countries and represented academia, industry and government agencies.
