Biosafety Level (BSL)
Japanese: バイオセーフティレベル（BSL）
A system classifying the safety standards of laboratories handling microorganisms into four levels based on risk. Ranging from BSL-1 (low risk) to BSL-4 (highest risk).
Biosafety Level (BSL) is a system defining safety standards for facilities based on the risk level of microorganisms handled. There are four levels, from BSL-1 to BSL-4.
BSL-1 covers organisms that do not cause disease in healthy individuals, such as E. coli K-12 and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. BSL-2 handles moderate risk; BSL-3 addresses agents capable of serious infections like tuberculosis; BSL-4 is for pathogens with high mortality and no treatment, such as Ebola virus.
Microorganisms used in fermentation—koji mold, lactic acid bacteria, yeast—are classified as BSL-1. Because their safety has been confirmed over a long history, we can consume fermented foods with confidence.
The concept of biosafety institutionally defines how microorganisms and humans coexist. The balance between safety and utilization is a theme that resonates with the practice of fermentation.