COT 2019 meeting notes
Last updated: 06 August 2021
At their February meeting the Committee discussed the toxicity risks from electronic nicotine and non-nicotine delivery systems (e-cigarettes) in adolescent and young adult users, and the potential risks from fumonisins, moniliformin and tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years.
The Committee also discussed the potential risks to human health from the use of antimicrobials in chicken and other poultry (Reserved Business) and risks from residues of a class of veterinary product (Reserved Business).
At their March meeting the Committee discussed potential future discussion items in a horizon scanning session and agreed on their text to be included in the COT section of the draft 2018 Annual Report for the Committees on Toxicity, Mutagenicity and Carcinogenicity.
The Committee also reviewed the potential toxicological risks from bystander exposure to electronic nicotine (and non-nicotine) delivery systems (e-cigarettes) the EFSA Opinion on phthalates and the potential risks to human health from the use of certain additives not currently allowed in the EU.
The Committee continued their work on their statement on phosphate-based flame retardants and the potential for developmental toxicity.
At their May meeting the Committee discussed the male reproductive toxicity of a novel feed additive, 3-nitro-oxypropanol (Reserved Business) and the toxicity assessment of flavourings used in electronic nicotine (and non-nicotine) devices (e-cigarettes): Vanillin and Cinnamaldehyde.
The Committee also considered the potential risks from a number of contaminants in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years. These included the mycotoxins fusarenon-X, cyclopiazonic acid and patulin along with 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD and glycidol, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs): additional information on tropane alkaloid was also considered.
The Committee continued working on the second draft statement on phosphate based flame retardants and the potential for neurodevelopmental toxicity.
At their July meeting the Committee discussed a number of items under matters arising; these included polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), exposure to fumonisins, the genotoxicity of MCPD and mycotoxins. The Committee considered papers on physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling used for human health risk assessment, a benchmark dose modelling report on the male reproductive toxicity of a novel feed additive 3-nitro-oxypropanol (Reserved Business), the potential adverse effects of CBD products and the synthesis and integration of epidemiological and toxicological evidence in risk assessments. A discussion paper on potential risks from various sweeteners and additional data regarding the mycotoxin fusarenon-X in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years was also discussed.
The Committee also reviewed several topics as part of their work on the potential toxicological risks from electronic nicotine (and non-nicotine) delivery systems – e-cigarettes; these were the decision tree for risk assessing flavouring compounds, the toxicological review of nicotine and user exposure.
At their September meeting the Committee discussed an update to the risk analysis guidelines (reserved business), the EFSA Opinion on “Risk for animal and human health related to the presence of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed and food”, the hepatotoxicity of dietary turmeric supplements, and a scoping paper on endocrine disruptors and risk assessment, additional information on the potential risks from mycotoxins in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years.
The Committee also reviewed potential toxicological risks from e-cigarettes in relation to health based guidance value for nicotine, strategies to reduce nicotine addiction using low-nicotine-content products, calculation of a health-based guidance value for inhalation exposure to nicotine, and the toxicity assessment of Menthol flavourings; a second draft framework for risk assessment of flavouring compounds in e-cigarettes and a literature update to mid-2019 were also reviewed.
At their October meeting, the Committee discussed additional information of the potential risks from the mycotoxin aflatoxin along with the EFSA public consultation on aflatoxin, and a review of potential risks from the mycotoxin cyclopiazonic acid in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years, the potential risks from α-, β- and γ-hexachlorocyclohexanes in the diet of children aged 1-5 years, and a discussion paper on soya drink consumption in children aged 6 months to 5 years. This was part of their work on contaminants in the diet of infants and young children.
The Committee also considered the toxicological interactions between xenobiotics and the human microbiota, the development of methods for potency estimation, a risk assessment of residues of a group of veterinary products and a scoping paper on the potential risks from exposure to microplastics.
The Committee also reviewed several topics as part of their work on the potential toxicological risks from electronic nicotine (and non-nicotine) delivery systems – e-cigarettes; these were menthone, a tabulation of user data and a literature update.
At their December meeting the Committee discussed a number of items under matters arising: these included the outcome of recent referrals to COM, an update on first SETE working group meeting, and an update on e-cigarette products.
The Committee also considered soya drink consumption in children aged 6 months to 5 years, an updated risk assessment for nicotine exposure from e-cigarettes, case studies of applications of physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modelling in human health risk assessment, and a paper on environmental, health and safety alternative testing strategies: Development of methods for potency estimation (Reserved Business).
The Committee also reviewed additional information on DON and its acetylated/modified forms and the potential risks from α-, β- and γ-hexachlorocyclohexanes in the diet of children aged 1-5 years.
The Committee considered the first draft of an addendum to the overarching statement on the potential risks from contaminants in the diet of infants and children aged up to 5 years and a first draft statement on the safety of turmeric and curcumin.