RFP QuestBeta
Awarded · ResultStage · award

Food Standards Agency

Utilising in silico, in vitro and ‘omics New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) for priority-setting and safety assessment of tropane alkaloids (TAs) and other plant toxins as potential food contaminants. A case study for progressing the acceptance of NAMs for

Value£488k
Awarded24 Aug 2025
Published9 Sept 2025
RegionNationwide
Outcome — awarded
University of Birmingham
Awarded value£488k
Award date24 Aug 2025

This is a contract result notice, not an open opportunity. Details from the official award data.

Who to contact
FSA Commercial
fsa.commercial@food.gov.uk

The procurement contact named on the official notice.

The brief

Tenders were invited to carry out a range of project delivery options, to deliver against stages 1, 2 and 3 as described below: Stage 1: This case study is to support the UK FSA’s policy need to determine which TAs are the most potent (neuro)toxicants so as to prioritise specific substances and inform decisions on the UK’s monitoring of these alkaloids in foods.

An integral part of this aim is to confirm that neurotoxicity is the primary mode of action of these alkaloids.

This aim will be achieved using a tiered-testing strategy of in silico, in vitro and ‘omics NAMs.

This will then be extended to other plant alkaloids such as glycoalkaloids and pyridazine alkaloids.

Stage 2: To derive a HBGV for human exposure for the top priority, i.e. most potent substance within the class of TAs.

This will utilise physiologically-based kinetic (PBK) modelling and quantitative in vitro to in vivo extrapolation (QIVIVE).

This will then be extended to other plant alkaloids such as glycoalkaloids and pyridazine alkaloids.

Stage 3: From a methodological perspective, a broader third objective of the case study is to evaluate and attempt to build confidence within the FSA in the application of a series of relevant NAMs that have been integrated in a manner to address policy needs.

These NAMs are tiered and incorporate existing human in vivo data as well as new testing on human in vitro cell lines, to maximise the relevance and accuracy to human food safety.

Key requirements

What the supplier must deliver

01

Tenders were invited to carry out

Tenders were invited to carry out a range of project delivery options, to deliver against stages 1, 2 and 3 as described below:.

02

Stage 1: This case study is

Stage 1: This case study is to support the UK FSA’s policy need to determine which TAs are the most potent (neuro)toxicants so as to prioritise specific substances and inform decisions on the UK’s monitoring of these alkaloids in foods.

03

Stage 3: From a methodological perspective,

Stage 3: From a methodological perspective, a broader third objective of the case study is to evaluate and attempt to build confidence within the FSA in the application of a series of relevant NAMs that have been integrated in a manner to address policy needs.

Derived from the notice text — always confirm against the original documents.

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Source & provenance
OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0565d3
Stage
award · Awarded
Source
Find a Tender
Buyer ref
054952-2025
View the original notice on Find a Tender

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source data © Crown copyright.

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