Update on the work of other Scientific Advisory Committees- October 2023

Paper for information. 

Secretariat

October 2023   

Scientific Advisory Committees (SAC) Summary of recent activities

This document summarises the recent activity of the FSA’s Scientific Advisory Committees (SACs).  We highlight topics discussed at the most recent meeting and agenda items for the next meeting.

Science Council

Updated: 6th October 2023.

Last open meeting: 8 December 2022.

Summary

• The Chair presented a summary of her activity over the last 6 months.
• The FSA led a discussion of the FSA Science Update 2022 (FSA 22/12/07) to the FSA Board.
• The CSA updated the Council on his recent activity and discussions (including Government Office of Science’s review of SACs, changing FSA priorities this year, the Precision Breeding Bill).
• Updates from Science Council members attending Scientific Advisory Committees (SACs) and a proposed streamlining of members’ engagement.

Next open meeting: 13th March 2024.

Interim Chair: Professor John O'Brien

Secretariat: sciencecouncil@food.gov.uk

Website: science-council.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS)

Updated: October 2023.

Last meeting: 5th July 2023.

(11^th plenary, open session). Minutes and papers are available on the ACSS website.

Professor Susan Jebb, Chair of the FSA, attended the meeting and spoke about FSA priorities going forward, the Head of Social Science, Dr Joanna Disson, outlined the recent independent Government Social Research (GSR) review of FSA’s Social Science Team; Additionally Nat Gladstone provided an overview of the Science Advisory Committees (SAC) review and the outcomes of this for the ACSS.

Key update items:

• The ACSS hosted KSN XXXXX
• Continuing to work with DEFRA SSEG (Social Science Expert Group)
• 11^th plenary on July 5^th, attendees include Susan Jebb and members from DEFRAs SSEG secretariat.

Oct 23 update:

• The secretariat and Chair are continuing to scope up future work for the committee, including potential collaborative work with DEFRA’s SSEG (Social Science Expert Group). Members are meeting in late November to discuss new work streams and the best way to achieve.
• The Wider Consumer Interests working group continues to support this ARI, and has completed an in depth review of the monthly Consumer Insight Tracker, making practical recommendations to enhance the value of this research. This is now published on the ACSS website (CIT Review).

The next open meeting: (12th Plenary) of the ACSS will be a hybrid meeting on the 27th Feb 2024.

Chair: Julie Hill

Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk

Website: acss.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)

Updated: 21st September 2023.

Last meeting: 162nd : 18, 19 Sep 2023.

• Successful 2-day meeting. 5 new dossiers reviewed requiring a mixture of RFIs and refinement of CADs.
• 5 returning dossiers had further information requested with one dossier advancing to a CAD.
• Annual report for 2022 agreed, to be published following minor edits once cleared by Chairs action.
•  One dossier (Calcidiol, which was removed from the agenda) agreed to have the CAD finalised and agreed on via correspondence rather than bring it back to a meeting.
• Committee updated on the work of the CBD subgroup and discussion on various questions raised by the subgroup on how to progress assessments of CBD application.
• 1 returning CDB application reviewed. 2 new CBD applications on the agenda will be reviewed at a later date due to the meeting running out of time.

Next meeting: 15th Nov 2023 (Virtual).

Products of Genetic Technologies Subcommittee (PGT) 

PGT Subcommittee

Updated: 24^th July 2023.

Last PGT meeting: 18th July 2023.

Highlight:

The meeting included a Precision Breeding (PB) workshop, focussing on data requirement; comments were invited on the draft statement, by correspondence ahead of the meeting, and in meeting. A revised draft statement will be discussed in ACNFP161, 25th July 2023.

Next meeting: (PGT10): 18th October 2023.

Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes and Committee on Toxicity on CBD and Hemp Derived Products

CBD Subgroup

Updated: 21st September 2023.

Last CBD meeting: 4th July 2023.

Highlight: 

The Subgroup was still on hold until November 2023, due to a required break in between meetings. However, online correspondence was made with members who were asked to approach the previous group B action of reading through toxicology data over the summer. Members have been slowly reading through the studies at their own leisure, in preparation for the November meeting. The lead secretariat has also begun to develop a CBD-focused website page that will be located on the main ACNFP website, similar to the PGT Subcommittee.

Next main meeting: 7^th November 2023 (CBD8 – Topic TBC)

Chair: Dr Camilla Alexander-White

Secretariat: acnfp@food.gov.uk
ACNFP Website: Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes | Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes

Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF)

Updated: 7th August 2023.

Last meeting: 22nd June 2023.

Matters arising (ACM/1411) The Secretariat has produced an information paper summarising action taken on points arising from the minutes of previous meetings.

Committee update:

 AMR Working Group

Epidemiology of Foodborne Infections Group (ACM/1412) Reserved Business.

Members were updated on the outcome of the EFIG meeting held on 7th June 2023.

Update/milestones IID3 Reserved Business.

Members received an update on the current progress on the third study of infectious intestinal disease in the UK project (IID3).

Information papers

ACM/1413: Items from the literature.

ACM/1414: AMR NAP 2024-29 Commitments.

ACM/1415: workplan.

Next meeting: 19th October 2023.

Chair: Professor Bill Keevil
Secretariat: acmsf@food.gov.uk
Website: acmsf.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)

Updated: 2nd October 2023.

Last meeting: 15th September 2023.

15th September 2023 ACAF Meeting Summary:

• Minutes discussed from the last meeting, any changes that need to be made have been noted. (ACAF/86/01).
• Dossier for assessment RP1137 CanBiocin K-9 – the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
• Dossier for assessment RP1243 L-methionine - the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
• Dossier for assessment RP1258 Enviva PRO 202 GT - the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
• Dossier for assessment RP1275 Quantum Blue - the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
• Reviewed the RFI responses for RP709, RP746, RP812-814, RP1047 and RP1087.
• Draft opinions were evaluated for RP309, RP593, RP1307. The members provided feedback on the content and finalised previous opinions.

Next meeting: 31st October 2023.

Chair: Professor Nicholas Jonsson

Secretariat: acaf@food.gov.uk

Website: Advisory Committee on animal feedingstuffs | Advisory Committee on animal feedingstuffs (food.gov.uk)

Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)

Updated: September 2023.
Last meeting: 11th July 2023.

Topics discussed included:

At their July meeting the Committee continued their review of the EFSA opinion on the safety of titanium dioxide, focussing on endpoints other than reproductive toxicity) and also considered an early draft statement.  They commented on the draft EFSA opinion on Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and discussed papers on emerging biotoxins: pinnatoxins, the assessment of the Codex report on food allergen thresholds and 1^st draft statements on the aircraft Cabin Air Environment and ergot alkaloids.

The Committee continued their work on a 3^rd draft sub statement on the potential risks from exposure to microplastics: inhalation route.

Next meeting: 5^th September 2023.

Chair: Professor Alan Boobis
Secretariat: cot@food.gov.uk
Website: cot.food.gov.uk

Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC)

Updated: March 2023.
Last meeting:16th  March 2023.

Topics discussed included:

• Hydroxy anthracene derivatives (reserved)
• Draft Annual report.
• Horizon scanning.
• Summary of COC Workshop “Changing the paradigm: How should we assess cancer risk in the UK?” 17 November 2023.

Next meeting: 20th July 2023.
Further meetings: 16 November 2023.

Chair: Professor David Harrison
Secretariat: COC@phe.gov.uk
Website: committee-on-carcinogenicity-of-chemicals-in-food-consumer-products-and-the-environment

The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM)

Updated: March 2023.
Last meeting: 23rd February 2023.

Topics discussed included:

• A can coating (reserved)
• Draft Annual report.
• Scoping paper on in vitro biomarkers in genotoxicity.
• Update on progress with titanium dioxide review.

Next meeting: 15th June 2023.

Further meetings: 12th October 2023.

Chair: Prof Gareth Jenkins.
Secretariat: COM@phe.gov.uk
Website: committee-on-mutagenicity-of-chemicals-in-food-consumer-products-and-the-environment

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)

Updated: March 2023.
Last meeting: 16th March 2023.

Topics discussed included:

• Feeding young children aged 1-5.
• Processed foods and health.
• Approaches to modelling impact of reduction in meat and dairy intakes on micronutrients intakes and disease risk.
• Draft monitoring proposals for the amendments to the micronutrient levels in the Bread and Flour Regulations 1998.

Next meeting: 22nd June 2023.
Further meetings: 23rd November 2023.

Chair: Professor Ian Young.
Secretariat:SACN@dhsc.gov.uk
Website: scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition