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

TOX/2023/30

Last updated: 18 May 2023

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Paper for Information. 

Secretariat

May 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: 9 January 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: 6 September 2023.

Chair: Professor Sandy Thomas

Secretariat: sciencecouncil@food.gov.uk

Website: science-council.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS)

Updated: January 2023.

Last meeting: 20th July 2022.

(9th plenary, open session). Minutes and papers are available on the ACSS website.

Key update items:

  • Julie Hill has started her role as Chair of the ACSS.
  •  Three new members joined the committee in October, Dr Charlotte Hardman, Professor Fiona Gillison and Dr Naomi Maynard. In October, we held a successful induction event to welcome the new members to the committee.
  • ACSS secretariat and Julie Hill attending the DEFRA SSEG (Social Science Expert Group) meeting in Cambridge in November.
  • 10th plenary on February 2nd , attendees include Susan Jebb and members from DEFRAs SSEG secretariat.
  • Planning on the ACSS’s first networking event in the next financial year.

Working group highlights:

  • The Assurance working group have completed the ‘good science’ quality assurance toolkit to support the production of high-quality research within FSA social science. The group have also contributed to the Social Science Gateway Process, and as such review the research questions and methodology of all new social science projects.
  • The Kitchen Life 2 working group continues to support the innovative, cross-cutting and multi-disciplinary research project Kitchen Life 2. Fieldwork for the project has now been completed and several of the working group members attended the behavioural interventions workshop in November to generate hypotheses for behavioural intervention. Drafts of reports are expected in February 2023.
  • The Wider Consumer Interests working group continues to support this new ARI and focus on Household Food Insecurity and the Consumer Insight Tracker which the working group lead is conducting an in-depth review off.
  • The Economics working group have reviewed the economic work plan for the next financial year and are provided with monthly updates on key activity within the economics team.
  • The Climate Change and Consumer Behaviour working group had a recent publication around the impact of climate change on consumer food behaviours. The group has paused activity for the time being.

The next open meeting (10th Plenary) of the ACSS will be 2nd February 2023.

Chair: Julie Hill

Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk

Website: acss.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)

Updated: 28th April 2023.

Last meeting: 26th April 2023.

  • Draft outputs for RP549 and RP35 were reviewed with both requiring further input before they can be cleared in future meetings or via correspondence.
  • RP956 and RP1238 both returning applications needed further information from the applicant and will be actioned by the secretariat.
  • 3 new applications, RP1074, RP1351 and RP1468 were reviewed for the first time with requests for further information to applicant.
  • The Committee was updated on the work on the PGT Subcommittee and agreed to the strategy and objectives set for the next two months on the development of the Precision Breeding framework and in particular on data requirement for triage and tier 1 assessment. 

Next meeting: 14th June 2023.

Products of Genetic Technologies Subcommittee (PGT) 

PGT Subcommittee

Updated: 18 March 2023.

Last PGT meeting: 15th March 2023.

Highlight:

Minutes of PGT6 agreed; process for future GM assessments (how to split the task per expertise) was agreed; the meeting was dedicated to a Precision Breeding workshops, focussing on data requirement.

Next meeting: 17th May 2023.

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

CBD Subgroup

Updated: 18 April 2023.

Last CBD meeting: 8th March 2023.

Highlight:

The final copy of the position paper for pure form >98% CBD products was discussed by the subgroup and an output to the parent committees ACNFP/COT was proposed; the position paper was finalised and signed off for FPP via Chair’s action.

ACNFP

Last meeting: 28th March 2023.

The joint ACNFP/COT pure form CBD statement was discussed by the committee, alongside additional commentary from the COT. The provisional ADI was agreed upon and is now being prepared for further publication.

The position paper will be brought to the FPP panel on the 19th of April and the document finalised before being published and allowing the consumer advice on CBD to be updated.

Next main meeting: 3rd May 2023 (CBD6 – Group B CBD products).

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: 28th February 2023.

Last meeting: 9th February 2023.

The Committee’s plenary meeting was on the 9th of February 2023.

Matters arising (ACM/1402) The Secretariat has produced an information paper summarising action taken on points arising from the minutes of previous meetings.

Committee update:

 AMR Working Group

Neurotoxin-producing Clostridia subgroup report (ACM/1403) Members discussed the ACMSF report on botulinum toxin-producing Clostridia and vacuum packaging and associated processes.

Survey of Infectious Intestinal Disease during COVID-19 (ACM/1404) Members were presented an overview of the recent IID COVID survey.

Risk assessment of the risk to vulnerable consumers from Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat smoked fish (ACM/1407) Reserved Business.

Food Standards Scotland presented an overview of a strategic risk assessment on the risk of Listeria in smoked fish. Epidemiology of Foodborne Infections Group (ACM/1405) Reserved Business.

Members were updated on the outcome of the EFIG meeting held on 6th December 2022.

Incidents and outbreaks update (ACM/1406) Reserved Business.

Members received the report on recent microbiological food incidents and outbreaks.

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/1408 ACMSF workplan.

ACM/1409 Update from other SACs.

ACM/1410 Items of interest from the literature.

Next meeting: 22 June 2023.

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

Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)

Updated: 26 April 2023.

Last meeting: 4 April 2023.

4 April 2023 ACAF Meeting Summary:

  • Minutes discussed from the last meeting, any changes that need to be made have been noted. (ACAF/83/01)
  • Dossier for assessment RP859 Chlorophyllins – the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
  • Dossier for assessment RP1039-40 VTR-Xylanase - the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
  • Dossier for assessment RP1047 Magni-Phi - the application was reviewed and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
  • Dossier for assessment RP1087 L Guanidinoacetic acid - the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
  • Reviewed the RFI responses for RP1307, RP593, RP791, RP416, RP420.
  • Draft opinions were evaluated for RP666, RP694, RP748, RP226, RP686. The members provided feedback on the content and finalised previous opinions.
  • The Committee members provided feedback to the Secretariat on the new style of cover paper presented for two of the applications of the meeting. Members received very positively the changes including specific questions raised by the Secretariat based on a preliminary evaluation of the dossier.

Next meeting: 8 June 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: April 2023.
Last meeting: 28th March 2023.

Topics discussed included:

At their March meeting the Committee discussed a paper on Arsenic in the maternal diet, the first draft of an interim position statement on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and the Aircraft Cabin Air environment:

  • Basis of the regulatory values for carbon dioxide.
  • Volatile organic compounds in European aircraft cabin air: concentrations and comparison with regulatory standards.

The Committee considered a review of the EFSA opinion on the safety of titanium dioxide as a food additive, focusing on reproductive toxicity, along with providing comments on a draft EFSA Public consultation on “Update of the risk assessment of mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) in food”.

The Committee were updated on CBD and viewed the draft report of the 2022 COT Workshop; both items are currently being treated as reserved.

The Committee continued their work on the second draft statement on the guidance levels for the fortificants in the Bread and Flour Regulations.

Next meeting: 16th May 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