Outcomes and Impact of ACMSF advice

Outcomes and Impact of ACMSF advice

41. The Committee’s advice in a number of areas has been used to underpin the FSA’s risk management decisions, survey reports and research proposals. Areas that received ACMSF’s advice include:

42. FSA’s Foodborne Disease Policy Framework (paragraphs 15 to 17). The Committee was asked to comment on the approach used by the FSA in its framework to tackle foodborne disease. The Committee endorsed the framework as an informed approach of managing microbiological hazards. Comments were provided for the FSA to employ in strengthening the framework. The FSA welcomed the comprehensive discussion on the framework and the suggestion for the framework to be a live document to take on board comments that will inform actions plans and interventions.

43. FSA’s systematic literature review concerning botulism in cattle, sheep, and goats 2006 to 2021 (paragraphs 9 and 10). The Committee considered this 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 considered in a number of meetings and signed off as the highlighted queries were addressed. The Committee agreed that information in the literature review continues to support the safety recommendations contained in the 2006 and 2009 ACMSF reports on botulism in cattle, sheep and goats.

44. FSA’s Food and You 2 – Wave 1 (paragraphs 24 to 29).  The Committee discussed and commented on this FSA’s survey: Food and You 2: wave 1 findings. The FSA welcomed the comments which will be considered in the protocol for wave 2.

45. Horizon scanning (paragraphs 30 and 31). The Committee’s horizon scanning workshop held in June 2020 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. As the committee received an update on progress being made on prioritised list of recommendations, additional comments were provided for the FSA to consider.

46. The Newly Emerging Pathogens Group (paragraphs 33 and 34) revisited the opinion it provided the FSA on risk-based considerations associated with consumption of human placenta. The revised opinion provided clarification on some of the terms used in the earlier published opinion. The FSA welcomed the revised opinion which will be considered in the advice that will be produced and published by the FSA on the issue of consumption of human placenta.

47. The above group also advised the FSA on the Agency’s microbiological hazard identification process for Prohibited and Restricted goods (minced meat and meat preparations). This request originated from Defra who commissioned the FSA to assess the risk to public health from imported chilled meat preparations, chilled minced meat (bovine, porcine, ovine and caprine) and minced meat (poultry).

48.  At the request of the FSA, the subgroup on toxin-producing Clostridia in food produced an opinion on the issue of the significance of a shortage of gaseous carbon dioxide used in packaging of food (paragraph 9). The advice focussed on the use of CO2 atmospheres to restrict the growth of aerobic spoilage bacteria, and to slow the growth of many moulds and yeasts (and other post process contamination that causes food spoilage), in large sectors of fresh and cooked foods.

49. AMR Working Group (paragraph 36) was asked to consider and comment on the findings of two FSA projects: FS307036: Assessing the impact of heat treatment on antimicrobial genes and their potential uptake by other “live” bacteria and FS301050: Burden of AMR in ready-to-eat (RTE) foods. Comments made will be considered by the FSA. The group also:

• Considered and approved the FSA’s risk assessment on mcr-positive E. coli 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. Comments made on these risk assessments were be used to strengthen the risk assessment report.
• Discussed (made suggestions) and approved the FSA’s future surveillance of AMR in retail foods.
• Reviewed progress made by the FSA in addressing high priority recommendations in the ACMSF AMR task report. The group also revisited the priority recommendations that have not been taken forward, highlighting the recommendations that remain high priority (such as the recommendation relating to companion animal raw feeds as it was highlighted that there are currently a number of reports of illness coming from companion animal’s food) and identifying any other gaps that may need attention in relation to the FSA’s AMR research priorities. 

50.  Antimicrobial Resistance and Surveillance Working Groups (paragraph 35). These groups reviewed the reports for the following studies:

•        FSA Survey of AMR in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli and levels of Campylobacter contamination in fresh whole UK-produced chilled chickens at retail sale (non-major retailers)
•        FSA’s Project FS102121: Year 5 and 6 (2018 to 2020) Final Report: A survey of the levels of Campylobacter spp. contamination and prevalence of selected antimicrobial resistance determinants in fresh whole UK-produced chilled chickens at retail sale (non-major retailers).

51. The group’s comments were used to make appropriate revisions on the study reports before publication.