102nd ACMSF Meeting 09 February 2023

Public Attendance at this meeting

Members of the public are welcome to attend ACMSF plenary meetings as observers (please note some items will be held in closed session). Request to attend should sent to acmsf@food.gov.uk  by Tuesday 07 February 2023.  Please note that space for observers is limited so we may not be able to accommodate everyone who wants to attend.

Venue

The DoubleTree by Hilton, Saint Maurice's Road, York, Yorkshire, United Kingdom, YO31 7JA

Microsoft Teams link is available for those who wish to join the meeting remotely

Agenda

10.00 – 10:40 (Items 1 to 4)

1.    Chair’s introduction

2.    Apologies for absence

3.    Declaration of interests

4.    Minutes of the 101^st meeting (ACM/MIN/101)

Members will be invited to approve ACM/MIN/101 as a correct record of the Committee’s 101^st meeting.

10:25-10:40

5.    Matters arising (ACM/1402)

The Secretariat has produced an information paper summarising action taken on points arising from the minutes of previous meetings.

10:40-11:00

6.    Committee update

• AMR Working Group

11:00-12:00

7.     Neurotoxin-producing Clostridia subgroup report (ACM/1403)

Members will discuss the ACMSF report on botulinum toxin-producing Clostridia and vacuum packaging and associated processes.

12:00-12:20 Break

12:20-12:40

8.    Survey of Infectious Intestinal Disease during COVID-19 (ACM/1404)

Darren Holland will present an overview of the recent IID COVID survey.

12:40-13:00

9.    AOB

Update on membership - members will have an opportunity to ask questions about the updated membership process

13:00-13:15

10. Public Q&A

Members of the public present will be invited to ask any questions they may have about the Committee and/or to make any statements

13:15-14:15 Lunch

14:15-14:35

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

Dr Karen Pearson from Food Standard Scotland will present an overview of a strategic risk assessment on the risk of Listeria in smoked fish.

14:35-15:05 

12. Epidemiology of Foodborne Infections Group (ACM/1405) Reserved Business

Dr Paul Cook will update Members on the outcome of the EFIG meeting held on 6^th December 2022

15:05-15:20 Break

15:20-15:40

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

Tina Potter will report on recent microbiological food incidents and outbreaks  

15:40-16:00

14.    Update/milestones IID3 Reserved Business

Dr Erica Kintz will update members on the current progress on the third study of infectious intestinal disease in the UK project (IID3)

16:00 Meeting closes

Information papers

ACM/1408 ACMSF workplan

ACM/1409 Update from other SACs

ACM/1410 Items of interest from the literature

Summary of meeting minutes

Subgroup updates: the committee was updated on the activities of the following groups: Antimicrobial Resistance Working Group and  Toxin Producing Clostridia in Food subgroup. A detailed overview was given on the first draft of the report produced by the toxin producing clostridia in food subgroup and future plans for publishing the report.

Survey of Infectious Intestinal Disease (IID) during COVID-19: The committee received a presentation on, and discussed the results, of the FSA’s recent survey which explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the prevalence of IID among the general population.

Epidemiology of Foodborne Infections Group: The committee were provided an update on the outcome of the EFIG meeting held on 6^th December 2022. A more detailed breakdown was given on recent microbiological food incidents and outbreaks as the FSA, also reported during the EFIG meeting on 6^th December.

Listeria in smoked fish SRA: The committee were presented with an overview of a strategic risk assessment on the risk of Listeria in smoked fish and provided feedback on the report.