The background for the assessment is that the approved product Nemaslug contains the symbiotic bacterium Psychrobacter sp., most likely P. faecalis and not Moraxella osloensis, according to the applicant in a previous application.

Moraxella osloensis was considered to be the active organism in the product when VKM risk-assessed the product in 2008. This was revealed in an application process for approval of Nemaslug 2.0, which was assumed to contain the beneficial nematode Phasmarhabditis californica (strain P19D) and the bacterium Moraxella osloensis (unknown strain) in 2022. This application was rejected.

For the approval of Nemaslug to be maintained, the NFSA presently needs a risk assessment of Psychrobacter sp.

The NFSA has requested that VKM assess the following:

• The risk to human health from the use of the plant protection product Nemaslug.
• The risk to human health caused by the consumption of food products treated with Nemaslug.
• The occurrence of the bacteria, its potential to establish and spread in the environment and the risk of effects on native species under Norwegian climatic conditions.

The project group:

Åsa Frostegård, member of the Panel on Microbial Ecology (Scientific leader of the project)

Christer Magnusson, member of the Panel on Plant Health

Kjetil Klaveness Melby, member of the Panel on Genetically Modified Organisms - Medicinal Products

Siamak Yazdankhah, VKM Secretariat

Nana Yaa Boahene,VKM Secretariat (Project manager)

VKM’s Panel on Plant Health will approve the risk assessment, which is scheduled to be published in August 2024.