December 2024
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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: October 2024.
Last open meeting: March 2024.
Summary
- Workshop with experts to discuss the “Future of Food Safety” and shortlist 51 key questions within the FSA strategy to deliver food consumers can trust. By this we mean a food system in which:
- Food is safe
- Food is what it says it is
- Food is healthier and more sustainable
- The report of this workshop will be published in the first quarter of 2025.
Next open meeting: March 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: November 2024.
Last meeting: 9th July 2024.
Last meeting: 9th July (13th plenary), key discussion items included: maximising the impact of the Kitchen Life 2 project, the biennial FSA business tracker survey, the evidence base for assessing the impact of regulatory reform, and, understanding changes to, and drivers of, trust in the food system.
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. The wider consumer interests working group has recently completed a piece of work outlining the available evidence around consumer knowledge, beliefs and practises around UPFs, Executive Summary | Advisory Committee for Social Science.
The next open meeting (14th Plenary) of the ACSS will be an in person meeting in March 2025.
Chair: Julie Hill.
Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk
Website: acss.food.gov.uk
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)
Updated: 27th September 2024.
Last meeting 168th : 17th and 18th September 2024.
- Constructive meeting of the full committee to explore the way forward for a number of ongoing applications. Committee Advice documents were cleared for 9 applications: 1 GM (to be concluded by Chairs action following minor amendments), 2 returning NFs (to be reviewed by members and completed by chairs action), 2 new NF application undergoing assessment and requiring further information form the applicant, 3 CBD with a way forward agreed and another CBD with consideration on further approach evaluated.
- 2 NF CADs that had their assessment concluded by correspondence were agreed and will enter the publication process.
- The Committee also reviewed a proposal to consider formation of a new subgroup for alternative and cell cultivated proteins, all in agreement.
- Lastly, a joint COT and ACNFP draft statement on Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as a contaminant in food was reviewed with some amendments suggested.
Next meeting: 20th November 2024 (Virtual).
Products of Genetic Technologies Subcommittee (PGT)
PGT Subcommittee
Updated: 13th October 2024.
Last PGT meeting: 8th October 2024.
Highlight: Constructive meeting where advice was received on on the assessment of one returning GM application (RP2065) and a new one (RP2044).
The Subcommittee identified where further information from the applicants and further expertise on the committee were needed to complete the safety assessment of the two other applications.
The Subcommittee also discussed the safety assessment of GMOs in which expression levels and/or other properties of the newly introduced proteins present challenges for analysis.
Next meeting (PGT17): 11th December 2024.
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes and Committee on Toxicity on CBD and Hemp Derived Products
CBD Subgroup
Updated: 3rd of October 2024.
Last CBD meeting: 11th September 2024.
Highlight: A successful meeting in which members progressed the reviews of wider cross cutting questions on CBD safety. In the meeting, the subgroup reviewed updated group A (>98% pure CBD) datasets to review the quality of the evidence and check that new evidence did not impact on the published provisional ADI for >98% pure CBD.
Further actions for the draft statement on the safety of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) as a contaminant of foods was discussed and reviewed, with particular emphasis on the importance of document structure and consistency with referenced materials
Next main meeting: 6th November 2024 (CBD13 – Group B wash up, study reviews and THC).
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: 12 November 2024.
Last meeting: 24 October 2024.
The Committee’s 107th plenary meeting was on the 24th of October 2024.
Frieda Jorgensen from UKHSA gave an update on Raw pet food survey.
Sheep survey (Shaun Cawthraw, APHA) – reserved business.
IID3 update (Erica Kintz, FSA) – reserved business.
PATH-SAFE FBD.1 Correlating surveillance of foodborne pathogens in wastewater with IID determination in the UK population (Erica Kintz, FSA) – reserved business.
EFIG update (Anthony Wilson, FSA) – reserved business.
Committee update
- AMR working group - reserved business.
- Listeria working group.
Next meeting: 6th February 2025.
Chair: Professor Bill Keevil
Secretariat: acmsf@food.gov.uk
Website: acmsf.food.gov.uk
Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)
Updated: 27th September 2024.
Last meeting: 17th September 2024.
17th September 2024 ACAF Meeting Summary
- Minutes discussed from the last meeting, any changes that need to be made have been noted.
- Dossier for assessment RP1644 Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y1242 – the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Dossier for assessment RP1696 Bacillus velezensis ATCC PTA- 6737 – the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Reviewed the RFI responses for RP1258, RP1366 and RP1400.
- The post-market monitoring report for RP1070, RP1071 and RP1072 was reviewed.
- Draft opinions were evaluated for RP1026/RP1027, RP1154, RP1298, RP1341, RP1421, RP1512 and RP2059. The members provided feedback on the content and finalised previous opinions.
Next meeting: 30th October 2024.
Chair: Professor Nicholas Jonsson
Secretariat: acaf@food.gov.uk
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)
Updated: September 2024.
Last meeting: 3rd September 2024.
Topics discussed included:
At their September meeting the Committee commented on a Committee Advice document submitted by the the Joint Expert Group on Additives Enzymes and other regulated products (AEJEG) RP1245 Steviol glycosides (reserved). The committee also reviewed an application to authorise iron-enriched yeast as a permitted form of iron which can be voluntarily added to foods for specific groups, food supplements and general foods (Reserved).
In addition, they discussed the COT Ways of Working with a particular focus on the discussion papers and how they should be used and on horizon scanning.
The Committee received a presentation and discussed a review of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in regulatory decisions for chemical safety.
Next meeting: 21st October 2024.
Chair: Professor Alan Boobis
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: December 2024.
Last meeting: November 2024.
- Horizon scanning.
Next meeting: 13th March 2025.
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: October 2024.
Last meeting: 20th June 2024.
Horizon scanning- presentations on Computational methods and mutagenicity and on Artificial Intelligence and mutagenicity data.
Guidance statement on the use of Quantitative Structure Activity Relationships (QSAR).
Next meeting: TBC.
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: December 2024.
Last meeting: 21st November.
Meeting focus: horizon scanning, processed foods, sweeteners, plant-based drinks.
Next meeting: 13th March 2025..
Chair: Professor Ian Young.
Secretariat:SACN@dhsc.gov.uk
Website: scientific-advisory-committee-on-nutrition