Scientific Advisory Committees

Science Advisory Committees Hub 

Science Advisory Committees Hub provides access to all of our committees as well as a global search and repository for cross-committee documents. 

Our Committees

Science Council

The Science Council is an independent expert committee of the FSA, comprising a Chair and seven members. It provides high-level, expert strategic insight, challenge and advice to our Chief Scientific Adviser, the Board and executive of the FSA on our use of science to deliver the FSA's objectives.

Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes 

The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP) is a non-statutory, independent body of scientific experts that advises the FSA on any matters relating to novel foods (including genetically modified foods) and novel processes (including food irradiation).

Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food

The Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food provides expert advice to Government on questions relating to microbiological issues and food.

Committee on Toxicity 

The Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) is an independent scientific committee that provides advice to the FSA, the Department of Health and other Government Departments and Agencies on matters concerning the toxicity of chemicals. 

Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs

Advisory Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs (ACAF) advises on the safety and use of animal feeds and feeding practices, with particular emphasis on protecting human health, and with reference to new technical developments.

Advisory Committee for Social Science

The Advisory Committee for Social Science provides expert strategic advice to the FSA on its use of the social sciences including new and emerging methods, processes and systems to interrogate data, to deliver FSA’s objectives. Its purpose is to help FSA utilise these sciences and approaches to shape and deliver its strategic objectives and understand its impact.

Non-FSA Committees

Committee on Carcinogenicity 

The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COC) assesses and gives advice on carcinogenic risk to humans.

Committee on Mutagenicity

The Committee on Mutagenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COM) assesses and advises on mutagenic risks to humans. You can find more information about the Committee on Mutagenicity on GOV.UK.

Veterinary Products Committee 

The Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) was established to advise on the safety, quality and efficacy of veterinary medicines, and to consider reports of suspected adverse reactions to veterinary medicines.

Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens

An Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens (ACDP) TSE risk assessment subgroup has been established to provide independent expert advice in this area to the FSA and other departments, following the abolition of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) in 2011.

UK Expert Committee on Pesticides 

The UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) provides independent, impartial advice to the government on the science relating to pesticides. Members provide scientific advice on the authorisation of pesticides and other matters related to pest control.

Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) is a UK-wide Advisory Committee replaced the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA).

Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food

The Pesticide Residues Committee (PRiF) was replaced by the Defra Expert Committee on Pesticide Residues in Food. They provide independent scientific advice on pesticide residues in the UK's food.

The Committee advises Ministers and our Chief Executives and the Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) on the planning of surveillance programmes for pesticide residues in the UK food supply and the evaluation of the results, and procedures for sampling, sample processing and new methods of analysis.

Closed committees

Following a review of scientific advisory committees, the General Advisory Committee on Science (GACS) was replaced by a new Science Council on 1 April 2017 and the Social Science Research Committee (SSRC) was replaced by a new Advisory Committee for Social Science (ACSS) in April 2018. The Cross Scientific Advisory Committee working group on the framework for risky foods, which was set up in 2016, is closed.