# Advances in Fermentation Technology: A Focus on Health and Safety
## 4 Regulatory Frameworks and Global Standards of Fermented Foods  
The regulations for food safety vary significantly among countries, but they usually try to guarantee the safe application of food cultures, which is the providers' duty [141]. A detailed review of regulatory frameworks for fermented foods is discussed elsewhere [142]. Briefly, in Asia, governments such as Japan and South Korea have altered their regulatory methods to assess the safety of both conventional and innovative fermented foods [142]. Generally, Southeast Asia faces various challenges in fermentation, notably enhancing safety and quality without compromising the characteristic flavours and authenticity of the products [143]. To address these issues, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare has established updated guidelines for the safety evaluation of fermented foods, especially those that involve genetically modified microorganisms [144]. The enforcement of the European Union food safety regulation highlights mandating that all food products, including fermented foods, adhere to rigorous safety requirements [141]. These regulations cover all aspects of food manufacturing, from sourcing raw ingredients to distributing the end product, ensuring compliance with safety guidelines across the supply chain. Integrating hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) principles into the production of fermented foods significantly enhances safety protocols [145,146]. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) recommend compliance with stringent microbiological criteria, process hygiene standards, and risk assessment models to analyse the potential dangers associated with bacterial hazards in fermented foods, identify knowledge gaps, and prioritise future research to adapt safety standards to new challenges. Moreover, EFSA has developed the qualified presumption of safety (QPS) framework to streamline evaluating the safety of microorganisms used in food manufacturing. The recent evaluation involved 71 microorganisms reported to the EFSA between April and September 2023, of which 10 notifications pertained to 9 distinct taxonomic units assessed for their potential QPS status [147]. This regulatory method expedites the licensing process for microbial strains and bolsters customer assurance about the safety of fermented foods. By creating a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) list, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has implemented specific regulations to reduce microbial hazards and maintain fermented food stability, avoiding hazardous microbial growth and preserving suitable pH levels [142]. The GRAS and the QPS system in the EU are sometimes claimed to be identical; nonetheless, they function at different levels and possess unique criteria. The GRAS approach evaluates safety at the strain level, requiring that particular strains of microorganisms be assessed and deemed safe based on scientific evidence and historical usage. As of December 2020, 736 novel food components, comprising 26 microorganisms, had been incorporated into the GRAS list, signifying an extensive procedure for strain-specific safety assessment. Conversely, the QPS method assesses safety at the species level, focusing on microorganisms that have a longstanding record of safe application in food and feed. This method requires a deep understanding of the species involved, including taxonomy, pathogenicity, and end-use factors, to ensure that the microorganisms are safe and have adequate historical evidence to support them [148]. Furthermore, the rise of innovative food sources and production methods has led regulatory authorities to confront the potential safety concerns related to emerging fermentation techniques. As plant-based fermented products gain popularity and unconventional fermentation agents are increasingly used, there is a pressing need for updated regulations to safeguard consumer health [149].