Executive Summary - 2021

Executive Summary

In April 2021, we agreed to establish a subgroup to consider the risk posed by botulinum toxin-producing Clostridia in food. The group is working towards delivering its report by early 2023. During the year, at the request of the FSA, the group provided advice on the significance of a shortage of gaseous carbon dioxide used in packaging of food, including the impacts on microbiological safety, and setting shelf life.

We considered the FSA’s systematic literature review, together with the issue of whether the recommendations in the ACMSF reports on botulism in cattle, sheep and goats need revisiting (particularly whether the advice on voluntary restrictions to cattle, sheep and goats, and the potential risk to human health, is still supported). The literature review was signed-off and we agreed that information in the document continues to support the safety recommendations contained in the 2006 and 2009 ACMSF reports on botulism in cattle, sheep and goats.

The FSA asked us to comment on the approach it used concerning its framework to tackle foodborne disease. Following discussion, we endorsed the framework highlighting that it was an informed approach of managing microbiological hazards. We provided comments for the FSA to employ in strengthening the framework.

We received a progress report on the Committee’s horizon scanning workshop held in June 2020 where we identified emerging issues around a series of specific questions and agreed a prioritised list of recommendations that could be seen to have the greatest impact on reducing foodborne illness. We provided additional comments on the update for the FSA to consider.

We were provided with the findings of Wave 1 from the FSA’s Food and You 2 Survey. We found the presentation useful and gave our support for the next wave and identified issues for the FSA to consider.

The Newly Emerging Pathogens Working Group revisited the opinion it provided to the FSA on risk-based considerations associated with consumption of human placenta. The revised opinion has provided clarification on some of the terms used in the earlier published opinion and is user-friendly for the FSA in providing advice on the issue of consumption of human placenta. The group also advised the FSA on the Agency’s microbiological hazard identification process for Prohibited and Restricted goods (minced meat and meat preparations).

Other subgroups that provided expert advice to the FSA on a number of issues include the groups on Surveillance and Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), both of which considered survey reports. The AMR Working Group considered and approved the FSA’s risk assessment on mcr-positive E. coli containing mcr gene variants (which carries a gene that confers resistance to colistin, an important ‘last-resort’ antibiotic) in retail chicken meat and risk assessment on colistin resistant E. coli carrying the mcr-1 and mcr-3 genes in fresh retail turkey meat purchased in the UK. This group also reviewed the FSA’s future surveillance of AMR in retail foods and progress made by the FSA in addressing high priority recommendations in the ACMSF AMR task and finished report.