Transparency data

Update on the work of other advisory committees - for information   - January 2026

Published 23 February 2026

1. Science Council (SC)

1.1 Summary

Updated: January 2026.

• ‘Wider impacts beyond food safety risk assessment’ project workshop on 22 April 2024: This project was commissioned to advise on the practicalities of including impacts outside food safety in FSA decisions.  This workshop brought together external experts across a range of disciplines to review exemplar case studies of a range of possible novel foods/processes, establish the key wider impacts, what information is needed to assess these and where collaboration would be needed with other Government Departments on impacts of joint interest. The final report of this project was published, along with its recommendations, in November 2024 on the Science Council website.

• ‘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 on the Science Council website and contains recommendations to the FSA on the use of AI in assuring food safety and authenticity.

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: October 2025.

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: 8th January 2026.

- ACNFP Committee meeting 19th November 2025:

A successful hybrid meeting was held reviewing 4 full novel food applications for precision and biomass fermented products (β-lactoglobulin RP1571, Solein RP1326, Fusarium str. flavolapis RP1637 and Fermotein RP1215). Members identified data gaps, according to the expectations of EU Novel Foods Technical Guidance that has been retained in England and Wales post Brexit, for all four applications and advised that safety could not be fully assured at this stage.

- ACNFP-PGT Subcommittee meeting - 9th December 2025:

Successful meeting, where advice was received on the assessment of two new GM applications (Soybean RP2261 and Maize RP2288). Technical details of some RFIs were discussed. The Subcommittee also discussed the assessment of precision bred organisms using some case studies to support the preparations for the new precision breeding regime.

- ACNFP-CCP Subgroup meeting 20th January:

Meeting of the CCP Subgroup scheduled for 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: 11th and 12th February 2026 (Hybrid)

Next ACNFP-PGT meeting: 27th January 2026 (Virtual)

Next ACNFP-CCP Subgroup: 20th January 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: November 2025.

Last meeting: 23 October 2025.

The Committee’s 110th plenary meeting was on the 23rd of October 2025.

• Elaine Pegg (FSA) presented analysis from the Committee Expertise review.

• Paul Turner, (University of East Anglia) gave an overview of the Health Protection Research UnitProtection Research Unit.

• Development of trend analysis guidance (Svetlozara Chobanova, FSS) - Reserved business.

• Food attribution by pathogen, proposed expert elicitation exercise – (Darren Holland, FSA) – Reserved business.

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

• IID3 update (Aileen Mill, Newcastle University) - Reserved Business.

• C. botulinum in cattle withdrawal period discussion (Stephen Wylie, APHA) – Reserved Business.

4.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 5th February 2026 in London. Agenda to be confirmed.

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: December 2025.

Last meeting: 10th December 2025.

• Discussion on the coccidiostats and antimicrobial resistance.
• Reviewed the RFI responses for RP1592, RP2187, RP2247, RP2252 and RP2258.
• Members reviewed the account of the horizon scanning exercise.

5.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 10th February 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: 9thn December 2025.

At their December meeting the Committee reviewed a first draft statement on the derivation of a health-based guidance value for boron, they also reviewed a Supplementary statement on Bisphenol A (BPA). The Committee discussed the draft EFSA opinion on dioxins – comments will be submitted to the EFSA public consultation. The Committee continued their work on the maternal diet: Echinacea in the maternal diet. Scope of the nutrition and maternal health project. Finally, they received for information purposes: COMEAP Statement on airborne nano- and microplastic particles and fibres, which used the approach of the Synthesis of Epidemiological and Toxicological Evidence (SETE) sub-group.

6.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 3rd February 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: December 2025.

Last meeting: November 2025.

Talc (non-asbestiform), the end of the genetic paradigm of cancer, submissions on COC case for change.

7.2 Further Information

Next meeting: March 2026.

Further meetings: March, June, 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: December 2025.

Last meeting: October 2025.

The end of the genetic paradigm of cancer, weight of evidence assessment for genotoxicity.

8.2 Further Information

Next meeting: March, June, October 2026.

Further meetings: TBC.

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: December 2025.

Last meeting: 13th November 2025.

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

9.2 Further Information

Next meeting: 12th March 2026.

Further meetings: TBC.

Chair: Professor Julie Lovegrove

Secretariat: SACN@dhsc.gov.uk

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