COT
COT Secretariat
COT Secretariat
Food Standards Agency
Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London WC2B 6NH
Tel: 020 7276 8522
Fax: 020 7276 8513
cot@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
- Sponsoring departments
- Food Standards Agency
- Department of Health
- Sister committees
- Committee on Carcinogenicity
- Committee on Mutagenicity
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About the COT
Chair's introduction, terms of reference and contact details.
Chair's introduction
The COT is a committee of independent experts that provides advice to the Food Standards Agency, the Department of Health and other Government Departments and Agencies on matters concerning the toxicity of chemicals in food, consumer products and the environment.
Most of its members are appointed as scientific and medical experts on the basis of their special knowledge and expertise. In addition, two non-specialist members of the committee are appointed for their broader knowledge of consumer affairs.
Members are required to follow the Code of Conduct for Scientific Advisory Committees. As part of this, they must declare any potential conflicts of interests, and depending on the nature of such conflicts, they may, at the Chairman's discretion, be excluded from the discussion and formulation of the Committee’s conclusions and recommendations in relation to relevant agenda items.
The COT is supported in its work by a secretariat provided by the Food Standards Agency and Health Protection Agency. The secretariat has scientific expertise that enables them to provide members with comprehensive background information and briefing papers that inform the decision-making processes of the Committee.
Professor D Coggon OBE MA PhD DM FRCP FFOM FFPH FMedSci
Contact details
Further information on the COT may be obtained by contacting:
COT Secretariat
Food Standards Agency
Room 511c Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London WC2B 6NH
Tel: 020 7276 8522
Fax: 020 7276 8513
Email: cot@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Terms of reference
The Committee's terms of reference
History of the COT
The Committee of the Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) started work in 1978. The COT replaced the toxicology sub-committee of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Chemicals in Food and the Environment.
COT Glossary of terms
Glossary of terms used in COT reports.
Assessing chemical risks in food
Chemical risk assessment is the process that provides the scientific basis for decisions aimed at ensuring, maintaining and enhancing the safety of human exposure to chemicals.
Risk analysis framework
The processes of risk assessment, risk management and risk communication.
Links
Links to external sites related to the COT. The COT has no responsibility for the content of external websites