RRD 29: Programme T01 - Risk assessment of food chemicals including Phytoestrogens
Wednesday 8 October 2008
Deadline for receipt of applications: 4 December 2008 (4 requirements)
This research programme aims to underpin the development of the risk assessment process in order to ensure the safety of chemicals in food and reduce uncertainty in the risk assessment and contribute to the Agency’s core values of being 'Science and evidence-based' as stated in the current Strategic Plan to 2010 - Putting consumers first.
The T01 Programme will now include all new phytoestrogen projects formerly funded as part of the T05 programme.
The scientific aims of the programme include:
1. Developing approaches to food risk assessment, which take into account variability and uncertainty using modelling approaches where appropriate.
2. Developing integrated approaches which take due account of human data, in vivo data, in vitro data and expert judgement and/or modelling to assist risk assessment.
3. Studies investigating human variability and susceptibility.
4. Identifying, developing, validating and applying biomarkers to improve estimates of internal exposure to, and effects of, food chemicals in support of the risk assessment process.
5. Conducting toxicological investigations to support risk assessment of food chemicals:
- In response to the advice of expert committees
- In response to the outcome of emergency situations
- That have been identified as being of potential concern due to toxicity, or consumer concern
6. Developing approaches to improve the risk assessment of mixtures of food chemicals other than pesticides and veterinary residues (funded under the T10 programme).
7. Improving the assessment of the human health implications (risks and benefits) of dietary phytoestrogens, so that the Agency can provide appropriate information for consumers.
Further details of projects can be found here:
Risk Assessment
Phytoestrogens
A copy of the report of the most recent quinquennial review of the T01 and T05 programmes held in March 2007 is available.
Where appropriate proposals should include details of:
- statistical procedures and the credentials of the person carrying out these procedures; and
- details of ethical approvals that would need to be obtained, where relevant
Research / Survey Requirements (4 requirements)
Programme Advisor for the T01 research programme
External Programme Advisors are involved in the development, monitoring, evaluation and dissemination of Agency research in a specific area or discipline. A brief outline of generic Programme Advisor duties is given on page 12 of the Research Requirements background and instructions document. The applicant for this post would be expected to provide scientific expertise by participating, contributing and helping to plan topics for workshops and steering groups or project management committees, but would not be responsible for their day to day administration.
In addition to ongoing T01 and T05 projects, there are calls for work on a further 3 topics, which are included in this document. These topics were recommended as areas for future research at the 2007 quinquennial review of the T01 Risk Assessment and T05 Phytostrogen research programmes and at the T01/T05/T10 Research Workshop held in May 2008.
We are now seeking a Programme Advisor for the T01 Risk Assessment research programme and for the remaining projects in the T05 Phytoestrogens programme. The post is currently vacant so applicants would need to be available to start between 2 January and April 2009.
Potential applicants (either individuals or organisations) should have an established academic record including suitable research, preferably with experience of research management and at least a basic understanding of statistics. It is anticipated that the role will require approximately 35 days per annum and will include regular site visits to the research contractors, attendance at the annual research workshop and participation in appraisal panel meetings. The appointment will be for a maximum of 5 years, and will be reviewed annually.
Those who supervise or undertake research for the Food Standards Agency in the Risk Assessment (T01) or Phytoestrogen (T05) Programmes are not eligible to apply.
Applications are therefore invited for:
| Requirement Reference: T01R0009 - Programme Advisor for the T01 and T05 research programmes |
Applicants interested in this post are asked to submit a CV, along with supporting evidence, outlining experience relevant to the programmes, in project/programme management and an indication of per diem costs, including any necessary secretarial support. Related travel and subsistence costs are considered separately.
Research to refine and underpin chemical risk assessment
In its report on Variability and Uncertainty in Toxicology, the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) concluded that there is a need to introduce methods to increase the transparency and reproducibility of hazard identification and characterisation. The Food Standards Agency’s Science Strategy also recognises the need for better information and methodology to decrease uncertainty in risk assessments.
Research needs identified by the COT that could be addressed include:
- Development of a framework for transparent expression of uncertainty of hazard characterisation, such as addressing and identifying critical data gaps.
- Evaluating whether there are specific subgroups not protected by the default uncertainty factors due to genetic, physiological or environmental sources of variability
Full details of the research needs recommended by the COT
Proposals for research to develop chemical-specific uncertainty factors would also be welcome.
It is anticipated that projects could be desk- or laboratory-based.
Proposals are therefore invited to:
| Requirement Reference: T01R0010 - Research to refine and underpin chemical risk assessment either as a desk or laboratory based exercise or a combination of the two |
Mixture effects of genotoxic and non-genotoxic compounds in food
Possible adverse effects and perceptions of risks arising from mixtures of chemicals present in foods is a high profile area of concern to many consumers both in the UK and elsewhere.
In 2004 the Committee of Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) recommended work on mixtures of food contaminants and additives. More recently, the 2007 T01/T05/T09 research programme review panel recommended that further work on mixtures of chemicals should focus on multiple genotoxic compounds operating by similar or dissimilar mechanisms or combinations of genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens.
The current call is for research to look at the effects of mixtures of genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogenic food chemicals. These mixtures could include multiple genotoxic compounds acting by similar or dissimilar mechanisms, or genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens to study the potential for effect modification. Chemicals to be tested could include naturally occurring compounds, environmental or process contaminants or chemicals deliberately added to foods with the exception of pesticides and veterinary medicines (which are covered by another FSA research programme). Chemicals of interest might include the process contaminants acrylamide, ethyl carbamate and MCPD, all of which are found in bread.
Proposals are therefore invited to:
| Requirement Reference: T01R0011 - Research to advance the understanding of mixture effects of mixtures of genotoxic and non-genotoxic chemicals in food |
Potential adverse effects of phytoestrogens in men with low testosterone levels
Phytoestrogens are naturally occurring compounds found in some plant-based foods, notably soya. These compounds, as their name suggests, have structural similarities to the female sex hormone oestradiol. As a result, concern has been expressed that consuming phytoestrogens might have oestrogenic, anti-oestrogenic and/or other effects in humans. These effects could be either adverse or beneficial and could affect particular subgroups of the population. This work would extend the aims of the T05 research programme’s goal of improving the assessment of the human health implications (risks and benefits) of dietary phytoestrogens.
The proposed project would investigate the effects of consumption of phytoestrogen-containing products in individuals with low testosterone levels. This is an area of emerging scientific interest: for example, a recent case report reports an incident of a man regularly consuming a large volume of soy milk developed gynecomastia (Martinez J, Lewi J E; 1: Endocr Pract. 2008 14:415-8) and another study an association between reduced sperm count and consumption of soy containing food (Chavarro J E, Toth T L, Sadio S M and Hauser R; Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published online on July 23, 2008).
It is anticipated that a human volunteer intervention study may be a suitable approach to assessing effects of phytoestrogens on appropriate biomarkers in individuals with low testosterone levels and controls. Applicants are reminded of the need to include details of statistical input and ethical approval.
Proposals are therefore invited to:
| Requirement Reference: T01R0012 - To consider potential effects of phytoestrogens in men with low testosterone levels |
Further Information
Before preparing your proposals please contact one of the people named below for advice and information on the specific scientific issues or the policy background/objectives:
Dr Natalie Thatcher (020 7276 8528) or Dr David Gott (020 7276 8535) Food Protection Division
Fax: 020 7276-8513;
E-mail: Natalie.Thatcher@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk; David.Gott@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Proposals/applications should be sent, to be received by 17:00 hrs on Thursday 4 December 2008 to:
E-mail: FSA_Remind@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk
Post:
Ms Adenike Banjoko
Food Protection Division
Food Standards Agency
Room 4C, Aviation House
125 Kingsway
London WC2B 6NH
See also
(pdf 63KB)