The NCA Scientific Advisory Group

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National Coffee Association/Your Coffee Business/Science Leadership Council

Caffeiene chemical structure

Caffeine crystal viewed from an electron microscope

Science Leadership Council

What Is SLC?

The NCA Science Leadership Council (SLC) is a preeminent authority on coffee science and caffeine — one of only a few highly respected organizations worldwide devoted to this specialized field.

Comprised of top industry experts, SLC members hold decades of experience in a wide spectrum of disciplines, including:

  • Epidemiology
  • Toxicology
  • Biochemistry
  • Medicine
  • Food safety
  • Quality assurance

As the core of the NCA Scientific Affairs Program, the council’s primary responsibilities include:

  • Follow and analyze emerging scientific developments
  • Alert NCA leadership to any potential consequences for the coffee industry
  • Review new research on coffee and its constituent compounds, including caffeine
  • Advise on regulatory challenges that hinge on their expertise

SLC Members

SLC members review all of the latest research, analyses and opinions from institutions across the world. They rely on resources including their professional networks, the council’s aggregated institutional memory, and the comprehensive NCA-SLC Scientific Database.

The database builds on the online search platform of the Institute for Scientific Information on Coffee (ISIC). It also incorporates input from SLC members, making it an unparalleled resource that supports the NCA Scientific Affairs program and the resulting NCA member benefits.

Accuracy & Advocacy

SLC’s contributions are critical to the coffee industry’s bottom line. Key issues include food safety, environmental exposures, and ingredient and nutritional information.

The NCA relies on SLC’s expertise when responding to regulations emerging from a variety of government and quasi-governmental agencies, including:

  • The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
  • The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)
  • The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
  • Health Canada
  • The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
  • Codex Alimentarius (CODEX), the United Nations’ and World Health Organization’s food safety organization