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1. This paper听contains听brief information on other actions taken听subsequent to听completion of recent COT discussions.鈥� This should be read in conjunction with the draft text of the Annual Report (paper TOX/2026/02), which provides the background.

COT 贰惫补濒耻补迟颈辞苍蝉鈥�听

2.听During 2025, COT statements have been published on听ginger, mercury and citrinin in the maternal diet. These have been shared with听Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition听(SACN)听colleagues. The outcomes听of earlier reviews have been incorporated into their听position statement听on the maternal diet which听is due to be听published听later this year.听听听The nutrition and maternal weight outcomes report is the first of 2 publications on SACN鈥檚 assessment of nutrition and maternal health. This report considers SACN鈥檚 assessment of nutrition and maternal weight outcomes. A further position statement will consider wider UK dietary recommendations for women of childbearing age. This will include details of the COT statements describing COT鈥檚 assessments,听findings听and associated advice.

3.听 A statement of advice on the risk to human health from consumption of bivalve molluscs (shellfish) harvested from UK waters associated with marine biotoxins听was also published.听This has been provided to policy colleagues to support their work in this area.

4.听COT opinions are听frequently听cited by the relevant Government Departments and Agencies in dealing with correspondence.

5.听The Food Standards Agency (FSA)听补苍诲听UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA)听routinely uses the Committee鈥檚 conclusions and opinions in risk assessments following food safety incidents,听drinking water exceedances,听responding to queries from consumers听or听members听of the public听and in assessing emerging risks. For instance,听COT听advice was used听by the FSA听in听an incident involving听high levels听of bisphenol A听(BPA)听in piping tips for buttercream decoration. The tolerable daily intake听(TDI)听of听0.2 碌g BPA/kg bw/day set by听the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and adopted by COT in听2024 was used听to听conduct the risk assessment.

Other Committee activities听

Regulated Products鈥�鈥�听

6.听The听Committee has commented on number of AEJEG and FCM JEG opinions on various regulated products.

7.听罢丑别 FSA are now using the Scholastica publication tool for the听听听to publish all FSA science reports.听In听2025,听RP1702 (Calcium tert-butylphosphonate听used as an additive for use in the manufacture of plastic food contact materials and articles)听and RP1245 (Modification of Specifications of听Rebaudioside听D (E960c) to Include Manufacture by Enzymatic Conversion)听were听published. Several applications are being held at the publication stage given applicant interest or completion of final comments, due to be published in March or in the first quarter of the听new听financial听year; these听include RP507 (blue microalgae as a food additive),听RP41听(extension of use of curcumin), and 3 smoke flavouring assessments.

COT听飞辞谤办蝉丑辞辫听

8.听罢丑别 COT held a workshop in October 2025听in London, United Kingdom on听鈥淓xploring AI in Chemical Risk Assessment鈥�.听The workshop set out to explore the complex readiness of the data ecosystem and听state of the art听AI technologies. Opportunities as well as challenges associated with application of AI in chemical safety assessment were reviewed and discussed.听

9.听The听飞辞谤办蝉丑辞辫听report will be published听in due course.

10.听The听report听of the 2024 COT workshop听鈥� Gut Reactions: xenobiotics and the microbiome鈥痺as published.听

Working Groups听补苍诲听Subgroups听

Joint SACN-COT Working Group on plant-based drinks鈥�听

11.听罢丑别 COT statements听from 2021听fed听into the work of the joint COT听鈥撎�SACN听WG on听plant-based听drinks.鈥� The WG听undertook听a BRAFO analysis听of听almond, oat and soya听drinks compared to听cows鈥櫶齧ilk.听The听final report was听published in听2025听with a听largely positive听reception.

12.听The report听made recommendations to government and industry.听The Department of Health and Social Care is considering the recommendations made in the SACN/COT report carefully.听Updated advice for consumers听will be听provided on NHS.uk

13.听The government considered the report鈥檚 findings, alongside consultation responses and a range of evidence, to inform the decision to include plant-based and milk-substitute drinks in the Soft Drinks Industry Levy.

Cannabidiol (CBD)鈥�听

14.听The听joint COT/听Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes听(ACNFP)听on cannabidiol (CBD) and hemp-based foods听continues to support FSA activity on听these products.听听In 2025 they published a position paper听on establishing a Safe Upper Limit for delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (螖9-THC) and its precursor as contaminants of hemp-derived products including CBD novel food听along with听a statement听on the听conclusion of a听review of a听proposal under 鈥淩EACH鈥� by the French Agency听(ANSES)听to classify CBD through all exposure routes.听This work continues to support the FSA听in its approach to these products.

BTS and publications听

15.听 Posters presenting the COT鈥檚 work on听ginger in the maternal diet听and marine biotoxins听were presented at the BTS Annual Congress in April 2025.听Posters on听Ocean-Bound听Plastic and ashwagandha听were presented听at the 2025 Annual听Eurotox congress

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16.听The report by RSM UK Consulting LLP on the Safety of Nitrates and Nitrites as Food Additives听was published in Autumn 2025; COT Members provided peer review and general comments on the report. While there听was听some听criticism from听campaigners听concerned about nitrate use, the report forms part of the package of evidence听used by the FSA听to inform听its position on nitrates.

17.听罢丑别 COT held a workshop听鈥淕ut reactions: xenobiotics and the microbiome鈥� in October 2024.听听

18.听 The workshop set out to explore the complex current state of the science of the microbiome pathophysiology and the possible impact of xenobiotics on host microbiome interactions and vice versa, including听possible mechanisms听and health implications, with a particular emphasis on the gut microbiome and dietary exposure.

19.听 In addition, the aim was to enable new insights, review the science,听initiate听discussions to听determine听where the data gaps are in research, what effects are of concern, and how might xenobiotics be evaluated听practically for听such effects in the future.

20.听 The workshop report is now available听听补苍诲听.听
(DOI :听听)

21.听 The workshop report was presented to the听Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food听(ACMSF) Plenary听听and was featured in the听Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards听BRCGS听.

EFSA and other public consultations鈥�鈥�听

22.听 In 2025, the COT听submitted听comments to听the听following听EFSA听public consultations:

• 罢丑别鈥�EFSA鈥疨anel on Food Additive and Flavouring s (FAF) 鈥楧raft guidance on the preparation of an application for authorisation of a food additive submitted under 4 Regulation (EC) No 1331/2008鈥�.听

• EFSA鈥疍raft Guidance for Public Consultation: Draft guidance document on the submission of data for the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of substances for the removal of microbial surface contamination of foods of animal origin intended for human consumption.鈥�听

• The EFSA听Panel on Nutrition, Novel Foods and Food Allergens (NDA)鈥痙raft听Evaluation of the safety of preparations from the fruits of sweet and bitter fennel.听

• The EFSA听Contaminants in the Food Chain听(CONTAM)听draft opinion on the听Risks to human health from lectins in food.听

• The EFSA听CONTAM panel draft opinion on听螖8鈥�THC 鈥� Derivation of a Health Based Guidance Value.听

• The EFSA CONTAM panel draft opinion on听its draft scientific opinion on the update of the risk assessment of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs in feed and food.听听

Questions for the Committee听

23.听.听This paper is听largely for听information, but Members are welcome to ask any questions.听

Secretariat鈥�鈥�听

January 2026