Update on the work of other Scientific Advisory Committees- October 2025

Paper for Information. 

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 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 to support their project on AI use in food safety and authenticity. Science Council hosted this 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/authenticity assurance. A report of this project will be published on 28 October and will highlight recommendations on the use of AI in assuring food safety and authenticity.

Next plenary meeting: December 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: October 2025.

Last meeting: 1st October (15th plenary), key discussion items included:

• Analytic Unit Update.
• Working groups updates (Assurance, Understanding Regulatory Change, Economics, Wider Consumer Interests).
• Science Council update.
• F&Y2 - Declining response rates and the impact on representation.
• F&Y2 - Opportunities for further analysis and reporting.
• External expertise mapping.
• FSA research and evidence priorities: Foodborne disease.

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

Next open meeting (16th Plenary) of the ACSS will be in April.

Chair: Julie Hill.

Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk

Website: acss.food.gov.uk

Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)

Updated: 26th September 2025.

• ACNFP Committee meeting 24th and 25th September 2025: A successful 2-day hybrid meeting was held reviewing 3 novel food applications and 3 CBD applications. This review included 3 new full novel food applications (Urolithin A RP1777, Clostridium Protein RP1920 and LPC rich oil from krill RP2181) for which Members identified data gaps for all and provided advice to the Secretariat to seek further information from each applicant. For the three CBD items, one of the assessments (RP225) was finalised and data gaps were identified for both RP47 and RP46 for which Members provided advice to the Secretariat to seek further information from the applicant. The assessment of one GMO application was successfully completed and
• ACNFP Committee meeting 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.

• ACNFP-PGT Subcommittee meeting 15th July 2025 (morning): A successful meeting, where advice was received on the assessment of a returning GM application (Soy leghemoglobin RP735) and a new one (Soybean RP2246). 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 RP735; application RP2246 will be presented to ACNFP together with their draft Committee Advice Documents in September 2025. The Subcommittee also discussed the assessment that may be required when different Biotechnologies are employed to obtain a genetic change in a GMO.
• ACNFP-CCP Subgroup meeting 18th August 2025: The Subgroup met in a virtual meeting for their second 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 CCP production processes, microbiological hazards and cell line identity, identifying key knowledge gaps that require further development through the work of the CCP Sandbox before these topics return to the Subgroup for further consideration and their 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 growth media and toxicological assessment 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: 19th November 2025 (Hybrid).

Next ACNFP-PGT meeting: 22nd October 2025 (Virtual).

 Next ACNFP-CCP Subgroup: 15th October 2025 (Hybrid).

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: 17th September 2025.

Last meeting: 18th June 2025.

The Committee’s 109^th 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: 8th October 2025.

Last meeting: 10th September 2025.

10th September 2025 ACAF Meeting Summary

• Dossier for assessment RP2276 3-NOP – members reviewed a summary prepared by the Secretariat and answered preliminary questions.

• Dossier for assessment RP2268 XTRACT RUMINANT CODE X60- 7065 – members discussed the application and raised further questions for the applicant.

• Reviewed the RFI responses for RP2074, RP2105, RP2107, RP2187 and RP2245.

• A draft opinion was evaluated for RP2071 and RP2157.

• Members undertook a scoping exercise for horizon scanning for the October meeting.

Next meeting: 30th October 2025.

Interim Chair: Professor Nick Wheelhouse

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 2025.
Last meeting: 9th September 2025.

Topics discussed included:

At their September meeting the Committee reviewed a paper on Deriving a health-based guidance value for boron to support development of UK Drinking Water.

They also reviewed three EFSA draft options:

Evaluation of the safety of preparations from the fruits of sweet and bitter fennel,

Risks to human health from lectins in food.

Δ⁸ THC – Derivation of a Health Based Guidance Value

The Committee also continued their work on reviewing two second draft statements on:

Citrinin in the maternal diet , Mercury in the maternal diet.

Next meeting: 21st of October 2025 (Virtual).

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