Transparency data

TOX/2026/22 Update on the work of other advisory committees - for information   - May 2026

Published 25 June 2026

1. Science Council (SC)

1.1 Summary

Updated: April 2026.

• ‘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 was published on 28 October 2025 on the Science Council website and contains recommendations to the FSA on the use of AI in assuring food safety and authenticity.
• Science Council is currently scoping its next piece of work on food safety and system disruption and expects to agree terms of reference at its next plenary in April 2026.

1.2 Further Information

Next plenary: April 2026.

Chair: Professor John O’Brien

Secretariat: sciencecouncil@food.gov.uk

Website: Science Council Science Council

2. Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS)

2.1 Summary

Updated: Feb 2026.

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 exploring impact metrics for NFCU, to supporting the evaluation of the FSAs provision of information best practise guidance.

2.2 Further Information

The next open meeting (16th Plenary) of the ACSS will be on the 20th April, with members from DEFRA’s Social Science Expert Group (SSEG) joining for substantive discussions around impacts of regulatory interventions on food system outcomes.

Chair: Julie Hill

Secretariat: acss@food.gov.uk

Website: Advisory Committee for Social Science Advisory Committee for Social Science

3. Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP)

3.1 Summary

Updated: 24th March 2026.

ACNFP Committee meeting 11th and 12th February 2026:

A successful two-day hybrid meeting was held in London and online focusing on food innovation and projects on cell cultivated products supported by DSIT funding to the FSA.

On Day 1, the Committee reviewed one full novel food application for precision fermented food (Fermotein RP1215) and three GM applications as reserved business (GM maize RP2288, GM soybean RP2261 and GM soybean RP2310), for which the CADs were approved, subject to edits.

The Committee evaluated the suitability of the EFSA 2024 novel food guidance for use in risk assessment of novel food applications in Great Britain. Some aspects had been improved technically. In other sections there were differences of opinion between the committee and the new guidance. The committee recommended to continue to use the 2016 version while SPS negotiations were ongoing.

The Committee also commented on the draft supplementary guidance for novel foods produced through precision and biomass fermentation, as well as the draft Committee Advice Document (CAD) template for these foods. These provide a constructive basis for the review of this type of product in future and allowing implementation of the learning from the Innovation Research programme (IRP).

On Day 2, the Committee reviewed two full novel food applications for cell-cultivated products (CCPs) as reserved business (cultivated chicken biomass RP2218 and cell-cultivated duck RP2241) and identified further information that would need to be requested from the applicant to demonstrate safety under the proposed uses for both applications. This discussion began the journey in fast tracking the knowledge of these innovative foods and developing sector. This provided a strong foundation of the review of these applications under the Cell Cultivated Products Sandbox in a proportionate and risk-based way.

ACNFP-PGT Subcommittee meeting - 27th January 2026:

Successful half-day meeting, where advice was received on the assessment of one new GM application (Soybean RP2292). The Subcommittee identified where further information from the applicant was needed to complete the safety assessment. The Subcommittee also discussed the assessment of precision bred organisms using some case studies to support the preparations for the new precision breeding regime. The next meeting will be in May 2026.

ACNFP-CCP Subgroup meeting - 20th January:

A meeting of the CCP Subgroup was held on 20th January 2026 to support the development of guidance addressing the identity, production process and microbiological elements of CCP safety assessment.

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.

3.2 Further Information

Next ACNFP meeting: 23rd April 2026 (Virtual)

Next ACNFP-PGT meeting: 12th May 2026 (Hybrid)

Next ACNFP-CCP Subgroup: 22nd April 2026 (Virtual)

Chair: Dr Camilla Alexander-White

Secretariat: acnfp@food.gov.uk

Website: Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes

4. Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF)

4.1 Summary

Updated: 12/03/2026.

Last meeting: 05 February 2026.

The Committee’s 111th plenary meeting was on the 5th of February 2026:

• Anthony Wilson (FSA) gave an update on the work of the Listeria working group (Reserved business).

• Elaine Pegg (FSA) provided an update to the Committee Expertise review.

• Tasmin Dewe (VMD) presented a summary of the recently published VARRS report (Reserved business).

• Science Council update (Anthony Wilson, FSA) - Reserved business.

• EFIG update (Anthony Wilson, FSA) – Reserved Business.

• Overview of Campylobacter SRA (Elli Amanatidou, FSA) - Reserved business.

• IID3 update (Lauren Adams, FSA) - Reserved Business.

4.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 17-18th June 2026 in York.

Chair: Mr Alec Kyriakides

Secretariat: acmsf@food.gov.uk

Website: Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of food Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of food

5. Advisory Committee on Animal Feeding stuffs (ACAF)

5.1 Summary

Updated: 22nd April 2026.

Last meeting: 2nd April 2026.

• Discussion on coccidiostat and AMR position paper,
• Horizon scanning paper,
• ACAF annual progress report,
• Draft assessments RP2074 and RP2187.

5.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 9th June 2026.

Interim Chair: Professor Nick Wheelhouse

Secretariat: acaf@food.gov.uk

Website: Advisory Committee on animal feedingstuffs Advisory Committee on animal feedingstuffs

6. Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT)

6.1 Summary

Updated: April 2026.

Last meeting: 31st of March 2026.

At their March meeting the Committee reviewed an Introductory paper on the Potential health risks from fluoride at UK exposure levels. The Committee discussed items on “AI State of the Science” and a review of guidance on irritant sprays and their formulations. These items are both reserved. The Committee continued their work on the maternal diet, reviewing a second draft statement on Echinacea and a general annex setting out the scope of the project. The Committee discussed EFSA several EFSA public consultations on: Draft scientific opinion on the safety of plant preparations containing berberine. Draft EFSA Scientific opinion on the safety of hydroxycitric acid and plant preparations containing hydroxycitric acid. Draft guidance on default values and uncertainty factors to be used by the EFSA Scientific Committee, Scientific Panels and Units in the absence of actual measured data. Comments will be submitted to EFSA.

6.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 19th of May 2026 (Hybrid).

Chair: Rev Professor Reverand Lesley Stanley

Secretariat: COT@food.gov.uk

Website: Committee on Toxicity Committee on Toxicity

7. Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC)

7.1 Summary

Updated: March 2026.

Last meeting: 19 March 2025.

Update on talc (non-asbestiform) assessment, the end of the genetic paradigm of cancer – consideration of submissions on COC case for change, horizon scanning.

7.2 Further Information

Next meeting: July 2026.

Further meetings: October 2026.

Chair: Professor David Harrison

Secretariat: COC@ukhsa.gov.uk

Website: Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment - GOV.UK

8. The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM)

8.1 Summary

Updated: March 2026.

Last meeting: February 2026. The OECD process, OECD error corrected sequencing, OECD review paper on Gamma H2XA method.

8.2 Further Information

Next meeting: June 2026.

Further meetings: October 2026.

Chair: Prof Gareth Jenkins

Secretariat: COM@ukhsa.gov.uk

Website: Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment - GOV.UK

9. Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)

9.1 Summary

Updated: March 2026.

Last meeting: 12 March 2026.

Nutrition and maternal health, review of health effects of meat (reserved), horizon scanning.

9.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 17/18 June.

Further meetings: 19 November 2026.

Chair: Professor Julie Lovegrove

Secretariat: SACN@dhsc.gov.uk

Website: Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) - GOV.UK