Updates from other committees
Science Council
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:
- The report of this workshop will be published in the first quarter of 2025.
Next open meeting: March 2025.
Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS)
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, published here
The next open meeting (14th Plenary) of the ACSS will be an in person meeting in March 2025.
Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)
Last meeting 169th: 20th Nov 2024
- Constructive meeting of the full committee to explore the way forward for a number of ongoing applications. Committee Advice documents were reviewed for 4 applications: 1 ongoing novel food application (with a way forward agreed by the members), 1 new novel food application (to be reviewed by members following the applicant's response for the requests made and cleared by Chair’s action) and 2 new CBD applications (to also be amended once the applicant answers the requests made and cleared by Chair’s action).
- Discussions were held to review the refined proposal and terms of reference aimed at supporting the assessment of cell cultivated and alternative proteins subgroup that will be formed at the beginning of 2025.
Next meeting: 5th, 6th February 2025 (Hybrid).
PGT Subcommittee
Last PGT meeting: 11th December 2024
Highlight: Constructive meeting where advice was received on the assessment of three returning GM applications (oilseed rapes RP2065 and RP1745, maize RP2044) and a new one (oilseed rape RP2029). The additional expert advice from a fish veterinarian was received.
The Subcommittee identified where further information from the applicant was needed to complete the safety assessment of RP1745; applications RP2056, RP2044 and RP2029 will be presented to ACNFP together with their draft Committee Advice Documents in February 2025.
The Subcommittee also discussed alternative routes for the safety assessment of another GMO.
Next meeting (PGT18): 4th March 2025.
CBD Subgroup
Last CBD meeting: 6th November 2024
Highlight: A successful meeting in which members progressed the wider cross cutting questions on CBD safety. In the meeting, the subgroup reviewed published 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. Members also discussed the importance of keeping a record of all of the reviewed data thus far and the benefits this database would have for the FSA’ governance and safety assessments.
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: 22nd January 2025 (CBD14 – TBA).
Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)
Last meeting: 18th December 2024
18th December 2024 ACAF Meeting Summary
- Minutes discussed from the last meeting, any changes that need to be made have been noted.
- Dossier for assessment RP1904 Biominc C – the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Dossier for assessment RP2071 Enterosure conc – the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Dossier for assessment RP2107 Availa CR - the application was reviewed, and the applicant will be asked to provide further information.
- Reviewed the RFI responses for RP1275, RP1696 and RP1888.
- An internal safety assessment for RP1499 Balancius muramidase was reviewed.
- Draft opinions were evaluated for RP1070/RP1071/RP1072, RP1243, RP1258, RP1317, RP1366, RP1393, RP1400 and RP1512. The members provided feedback on the content and finalised previous opinions.
- Members reviewed the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) approach as part of the Guidance framework and its validity for the assessment of GB applications.
Next meeting: 12th February 2025.
Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)
Last meeting: 10th December 2024.
At their December meeting the Committee reviewed two authorisations: substance Glycolipids (E 246) (Nagardo, AM-1) for use as a new food additive. (RP1457) as well as the “Extension of use of nisin (E 234) to a new food category “egg analogues” (RP42) (Reserved).
They continued their work on the maternal diet with a discussion of the supplement Echinacea, a third draft statement on the Safety of Ginger Supplement use in Pregnancy, and a discussion on the effects of Calcidiol (a vitamin D derivative) supplementation during pregnancy.
Finally, the committee discussed the planned work to develop COT guidance; it is hoped this work will commence in the near future.
Next meeting: 4th of February 2025.
Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC)
November 2024- horizon scanning
Further meetings: March 2025.
The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM)
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
Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)
Last meeting: 21st November - horizon scanning, processed foods, sweeteners, plant-based drinks.
Further meetings: 13 March 2025.
Secretariat
February 2025