Scientific Committee on Food
Encyclopedia
The EU
Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), established in 1974, is the main committee providing the European Commission
(EC) with scientific advice on food safety
.
It is also known as the: EC Scientific Committee on Food.
related to food consumption. The Commission is required to consult the SCF committee whenever is it legally obligated. However, the EC may also decide to consult the SCF on any other matter relating to food safety or consumer health, in conjunction with other committees. The SCF can also alert the Commission to any specific or emerging concern.
Most of the SCF's early activities concerned food additive
s, but other issues have become increasingly important as the scope of EU legislation has expanded, including work with: flavourings, food contact materials, nutrition
, contaminants, novel foods, food hygiene, and natural mineral waters.
, to serve as members of the SCF. The main role of the members is to give objective and authoritative advice, spanning a range of food-related issues. The Commission advertises all the posts for the SCF committee, as well as for its other scientific committees. These include experts in the fields of nutrition
, toxicology
, food hygiene, food technology, microbiology
, biotechnology
and molecular genetics
. In December 1997, the SCF contained 17 members.
During each meeting, the SCF members are required to declare if they have any commercial or other interests in the items being discussed. These declarations are later included in the minutes of each meeting, which are now publicly available on the Internet (see below: External links).
Each working group has a chairman as an SCF member who regularly reports back, to the general SCF, about the working group's activities and conclusions. The membership of each working group is selected from among SCF members, then supplemented by ad hoc
(specific) experts with appropriate expertise, who participate in some meetings, at the request of the European Commission.
crisis, the European Commission had restructured its committees, replacing some and creating new committees. All of these committees are now overseen by the Scientific Steering Committee (formerly the Multi-disciplinary Scientific Committee), which also handles some specific issues such as BSE. The responsibility for all of the advisory scientific committees was also transferred to DG XXIV, which deals with Consumer Policy and Consumer Health Protection. This transfer was made to preserve the independence of those committees, by separating the tasks of expert advice from the direct policy and legislative parts of the Commission.
The SCF's opinion papers (about the issues it has studied) and the minutes of its meetings, can be obtained from the European Commission's Website at europa.eu.int (see below: External links). The opinions of the Scientific Committee on Food are also published by the EC publications office, as various reports in the series on Food Science and Techniques.
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
Scientific Committee on Food (SCF), established in 1974, is the main committee providing the European Commission
European Commission
The European Commission is the executive body of the European Union. The body is responsible for proposing legislation, implementing decisions, upholding the Union's treaties and the general day-to-day running of the Union....
(EC) with scientific advice on food safety
Food safety
Food safety is a scientific discipline describing handling, preparation, and storage of food in ways that prevent foodborne illness. This includes a number of routines that should be followed to avoid potentially severe health hazards....
.
It is also known as the: EC Scientific Committee on Food.
Purpose and scope
The SCF provides the European Commission (EC) with independent scientific advice on issues of public healthPublic health
Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals" . It is concerned with threats to health based on population health...
related to food consumption. The Commission is required to consult the SCF committee whenever is it legally obligated. However, the EC may also decide to consult the SCF on any other matter relating to food safety or consumer health, in conjunction with other committees. The SCF can also alert the Commission to any specific or emerging concern.
Most of the SCF's early activities concerned food additive
Food additive
Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or enhance its taste and appearance.Some additives have been used for centuries; for example, preserving food by pickling , salting, as with bacon, preserving sweets or using sulfur dioxide as in some wines...
s, but other issues have become increasingly important as the scope of EU legislation has expanded, including work with: flavourings, food contact materials, nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, contaminants, novel foods, food hygiene, and natural mineral waters.
Membership in the SCF
The European Commission appoints various independent scientific experts, from across the European UnionEuropean Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
, to serve as members of the SCF. The main role of the members is to give objective and authoritative advice, spanning a range of food-related issues. The Commission advertises all the posts for the SCF committee, as well as for its other scientific committees. These include experts in the fields of nutrition
Nutrition
Nutrition is the provision, to cells and organisms, of the materials necessary to support life. Many common health problems can be prevented or alleviated with a healthy diet....
, toxicology
Toxicology
Toxicology is a branch of biology, chemistry, and medicine concerned with the study of the adverse effects of chemicals on living organisms...
, food hygiene, food technology, microbiology
Microbiology
Microbiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
, biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
and molecular genetics
Molecular genetics
Molecular genetics is the field of biology and genetics that studies the structure and function of genes at a molecular level. The field studies how the genes are transferred from generation to generation. Molecular genetics employs the methods of genetics and molecular biology...
. In December 1997, the SCF contained 17 members.
During each meeting, the SCF members are required to declare if they have any commercial or other interests in the items being discussed. These declarations are later included in the minutes of each meeting, which are now publicly available on the Internet (see below: External links).
SCF Working Groups
The SCF has established 8 working groups covering the following specialized areas:- Additives
- Contaminants
- Flavourings
- Food contact materials
- Food hygiene and microbiology
- Intake and exposure
- Novel foods and processes
- Nutrition and dietetic foods
Each working group has a chairman as an SCF member who regularly reports back, to the general SCF, about the working group's activities and conclusions. The membership of each working group is selected from among SCF members, then supplemented by ad hoc
Ad hoc
Ad hoc is a Latin phrase meaning "for this". It generally signifies a solution designed for a specific problem or task, non-generalizable, and not intended to be able to be adapted to other purposes. Compare A priori....
(specific) experts with appropriate expertise, who participate in some meetings, at the request of the European Commission.
Specific activities
After reviewing the Commission's handling of the BSEBSE
- Medicine :* Bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a neurological disease commonly known as "mad cow disease"* Breast self-examination* Bone surface element- State Secondary Education Boards of India :*Board of Secondary Education, Assam...
crisis, the European Commission had restructured its committees, replacing some and creating new committees. All of these committees are now overseen by the Scientific Steering Committee (formerly the Multi-disciplinary Scientific Committee), which also handles some specific issues such as BSE. The responsibility for all of the advisory scientific committees was also transferred to DG XXIV, which deals with Consumer Policy and Consumer Health Protection. This transfer was made to preserve the independence of those committees, by separating the tasks of expert advice from the direct policy and legislative parts of the Commission.
The SCF's opinion papers (about the issues it has studied) and the minutes of its meetings, can be obtained from the European Commission's Website at europa.eu.int (see below: External links). The opinions of the Scientific Committee on Food are also published by the EC publications office, as various reports in the series on Food Science and Techniques.
External links
- European Commission's Website, homepage: EU.int (English).