Update on the work of other Scientific Advisory Committees- September 2025
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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.
Scientific Advisory Committees (SAC) Summary of recent activities
Science Council
Updated: September 2025.
Summary of work
- ‘Wider impacts beyond food safety risk assessment’ project workshop on 22 April 2024: This project was commissioned to advise on the practicalities of including impacts outside food safety in FSA decisions. This workshop brought together external experts across a range of disciplines to review exemplar case studies of a range of possible novel foods/processes, establish the key wider impacts, what information is needed to assess these and where collaboration would be needed with other Government Departments on impacts of joint interest. The final report of this project was published, along with its recommendations, in November 2024 on the Science Council website.
- ‘Artificial Intelligence (AI) in food assurance’ project workshop was held on 9 June 2025: Science Council hosted an expert elicitation workshop with experts across a range of sectors including academia, the food manufacturing and AI industry to discuss the use of AI in food safety assurance. A report of this project will be published in Autumn 2025 and will highlight recommendations on the use of AI in food safety.
Next plenary meeting: September 2025.
Interim Chair: Professor John O'Brien.
Secretariat: sciencecouncil@food.gov.uk
Website: science-council.food.gov.uk
Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS)
Updated: July 2025.
Last meeting: 19th March 2025.
Last meeting: 19th March (14th plenary), key discussion items included:
Updated: July 2025
Last meeting: 19th March (14th plenary), key discussion items included: Using a food systems approach to explore the impacts of regulatory interventions, and the Provision of Allergen Information: Best Practice Guidance for food businesses.
Four working groups are currently active, supporting the development of a range of research activity, from the evidence behind the 2024/25 Spending Review business case, to supporting changes to the FSA consumer monitoring surveys.
We held a joint meeting with DEFRAs Social Science Expert Group, and the British Academy, around “Food systems futures: System challenges, policy solutions and threats” in May 2025
The next open meeting (15th Plenary) of the ACSS will be an in person meeting at the beginning of October 2025 (TBC).
Chair: Julie Hill.
Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk
Website: acss.food.gov.uk
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)
Updated: 30th July 2025.
Last meeting: PGT 19th: 13th May 2025.
ACNFP committee meetings 24th June 2025:
A successful meeting was held, chaired by Huw Jones (deputising for Camilla Alexander-White), reviewing 4 novel food applications. This included 2 new full applications: Fusarium str. flavolapis RP1637 and β-lactoglobulin RP1571. For these new dossiers, Members identified data gaps and provided advice to the Secretariat to seek further information from each applicant. The Committee also progressed the assessment of two returning novel food applications Fermotein RP1215 and allulose RP1130. Further queries were raised and these points will be actioned by the Secretariat. The assessment of three GMO applications were successfully completed and the respective Committee Advice Documents reviewed and finalised. Members were additionally notified of the FSA Cell Cultivated Products Sandbox team’s plans for updated FSA guidance for companies who wish to conduct novel food pre-market taste trials. The 171st minutes were agreed in principle and will be finalised by Chair’s action.
ACNFP Committee meetings April 2025:
A successful meeting was chaired by Camilla Alexander-White completing assessments of three more group A CBD assessments moving a step closer to completing the assessment of the applications in the service for the highly purified CBD novel foods.
A new dossier for a curcumin extract and Bambara, a traditional food from third countries were considered. The Committee also progressed the assessment of EPG a fat replacer which raises some new scientific questions. Members agreed in principle the output from the workshop held on allergenicity of new foods and a bumper annual report of the Committees work in the 2024-2025 financial year.
Products of Genetic Technologies Subcommittee (PGT)
PGT Subcommittee
PGT meetings: 13th of May 2025- The Sub-Group is chaired by ACNFP Member Andy Greenfield.
A very successful face to face meeting, where advice was received on the assessment of three returning GM applications (Soy leghemoglobin RP735, oilseed rape RP1745, and B. juncea oilseed rape RP2178) and a new one (maize RP2242). The additional expert advice from a toxicologist was received.
The Subcommittee identified where further information from the applicant was needed to complete the safety assessment of RP2735; applications RP1745, RP2178 and RP2242 will be presented to ACNFP together with their draft Committee Advice Documents in June 2025.
The Subcommittee also discussed the expertise needed for the safety assessment of 3 other GM applications.
Cell Cultivated Products Subgroup(CCP)
CCP Subgroup
ACNFP-CCP Subgroup meeting: 19th June 2025.
The Subgroup met in a hybrid meeting for their first meeting since its establishment to discuss key topics associated with the assessment of cell cultivated products (CCPs). A successful workshop meeting was held. The Subgroup discussed nutrition and allergenicity and identified key considerations for the assessment with advice on the development of FSA guidance for applicants. The subgroup was established earlier in the year, along with the agreed terms of reference, to support the FSA 2-year sandbox programme and assessment of these innovative foods. Plans for the next workshop meeting on CCP cell lines and production were discussed.
ACNFP-CBD sub-group
it should be noted that this sub-group concluded its formal work as a group in January 2025. However, if new scientific information becomes available, expert members from ACNFP and COT will be reconvened ad hoc to advise the FSA on the relevance of the new work to the FSAs conclusions and advice on CBD.
Next ACNFP meeting: 24th and 25th September 2025 (Hybrid).
Next ACNFP-PGT meeting: 15th July 2025 (Virtual)
Next ACNFP-CCP Subgroup: 18th August 2025. (Hybrid).
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: 26th August 2025.
Last meeting: 18th June 2025.
The Committee’s 109th plenary meeting was on the 18th of June 2025.
Olivia Osbourne (FSA) gave an update on the COT workshop: Gut reactions, Xenobiotics and the Microbiome.
Matthew Gilmour (Quadrum Institute) gave an update on Food Safety Research Network.
Representing lag phase in microbiological modelling (Karen Pearson, FSS) - Reserved business.
EFIG summary report (Anthony Wilson, FSA) – Reserved business.
IID3 update (Lauren Adams, FSA) - Reserved business.
Committee Updates
- AMR working group
Next meeting: 23rd of October 2025.
Chair: Mr Alec Kyriakides
Secretariat: acmsf@food.gov.uk
Website: acmsf.food.gov.uk
Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)
Updated: 22nd August 2025.
Last meeting: 24th July 2025.
24th July 2025 ACAF Meeting Summary
- Dossier for assessment RP2258 Availa CR 1000 – the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Dossier for assessment RP1087 Creamino – members discussed the efficacy section, assessing the additive as a “other zootechnical”.
- Reviewed the RFI responses for RP1592, RP2105, RP2245 and RP2247.
- RP2264 XTRACT EVOLUTION-B, CODE X60-6930 – Members provided their expert opinion on the effects of changing particle size.
- A draft opinion was evaluated for RP2071.
Next meeting: 10th September 2025.
Interim Chair: Professor Nick Wheelhouse
Secretariat: acaf@food.gov.uk
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)
Updated: July 2025.
Last meeting: 15th July 2025.
Topics discussed included:
At their July meeting the Committee reviewed 1 reserved item, Committee Advice Document on the Authorisation of the extension of use of curcumin (E 100) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP41).
They continued their work on reviewing first draft statements on:
They also reviewed a First Draft statement of advice on the risk to human health from consumption of bivalve molluscs (shellfish) harvested from UK waters associated with marine biotoxins.
Next meeting: 9th of September 2025 (Hybrid).
Chair: Professor Rev Lesley Stanley
Secretariat: cot@food.gov.uk
Website: Committee on Toxicity | Committee on Toxicity (food.gov.uk)
Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC)
Updated: September 2025.
Last meeting: July 2025.
Joint workshop with COM and COT, followed by regular COC meeting.
Presentation from bibra, talc, QSAR, tox tracker test guideline.
Next meeting: November 2025.
Further meetings: TBC.
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: July 2025.
Last meeting: June 2025.
Genotoxicity of smoke flavours (reserved), presentation from NC3Rs, update on OECD guidelines.
Next meeting: October 2025.
Further meetings: March, June, 2026.
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: July 2025.
Last meeting: 12th June 2025.
Meeting focus:
Plant based drinks, maternal weight outcomes, National Diet and Nutrition Survey.
Next meeting: TBC.
Chair: Professor Ian Young.
Secretariat:SACN@dhsc.gov.uk
Website: scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition