Anses Agence nationale de sécurité sanitaire Alimentation Environnement Travail

Fougères Laboratory
Veterinary medicinal products and disinfectants

The laboratory in Fougères, with 65 staff members, mainly contributes to improving knowledge of the benefits and risks of veterinary medicinal products and disinfectant use by the food processing industry.
Its work focuses on
· screening for residues of veterinary medicinal products in foodstuffs of animal origin
· the anti-microbial effectiveness of antibiotics and disinfectants
· resistance to these products
· assessment of the genetic toxicity of food contaminants

As reference laboratory for veterinary medicinal product residues and antimicrobial resistance, it is involved in disinfectant controls, the proper use of veterinary medicinal products and the monitoring of resistance to antimicrobials, both in France and in Europe.

Research units

· Veterinary medicinal product residues
· Pharmacokinetics-pharmacodynamics
· Antimicrobial hygiene products
· Genetic toxicology of food contaminants

Veterinary medicinal product residues: a reference laboratory

As European Union Reference Laboratory (EU-RL) for antiobiotic and colouring agent residues and National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for veterinary medicinal product residues, the laboratory in Fougères contributes to veterinary control through its analytical skills.

It improves analytical methods
· conducting and coordination of research on analytical methods
· validation of market analytical methods

It monitors the quality of the analyses carried out by the accredited laboratories for residue control
· assistance with setting up quality assurance systems
· organization of interlaboratory aptitude tests
· training of scientific and technical personnel
· distribution of scientific and technical information
· scientific and technical support
· confirmation analyses

It provides scientific and technical expertise to the authorities
· information
· assistance with implementing monitoring and inspection plans

Veterinary medicinal residue control

The chemical substances contained in medicinal products administered to animals may remain as traces in food.
In Europe, these residues are regulated (Regulation EC No 470/2009) and controlled (Directive 96/23/EC):
· the rate at which they break down in animal products and tissues must be studied by the pharmaceutical industry
· they must not exceed a concentration limit, recognised as acceptable for human health (generally from 5 µg/kg to 5 mg/kg - the maximum residue limits in food are laid down by the European Commission at the request of pharmaceutical firms and after assessment by experts, including the ANMV)
· there must be a minimum timeframe between the last administration of a medicinal product and the moment at which animals and their products are made available for consumption (withdrawal period)
· the food processing industry checks for the presence of residues in food
· the authorities check that the maximum residue limits and withdrawal period have been complied with through analyses and surveys

Antimicrobial resistance: a reference laboratory

In collaboration with the laboratories of Lyon, Maisons-Alfort and Ploufragan, the laboratory of Fougères acts as National Reference Laboratory for antimicrobial resistance. Its responsibilities, undertaken according to Directive 2003/99, are to measure the sensitivity of sentinel bacteria (E. Coli and Enterococcus spp.) to antibiotics in strains collected as part of national monitoring programmes, investigate emerging mechanisms of resistance and confirm them in these bacterial species, to analyse the development of resistance in relationship to veterinary uses and changes in breeding practices, and to contribute to assessing the risk of transferring antimicrobial resistance to humans.

Biocides

Two intensive actions are being undertaken in this field: participation in standardisation activities on a national level [French Standards Institute (AFNOR)], a European level [European Committee for Standardisation Technical Committees (CEN TC 216)], and an international level [Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)] for methods of assessing bactericidal, fungicidal and virucidal activities of antimicrobial biocides and substantial involvement in the expert assessment of biocide cases both at the national and the European level on behalf of the French Ministry of Ecology.

May 2010

Main partners

- European Commission/Directorate General for Health and Consumer Affairs (DG Sanco)
- European Commission/Directorate General for Enlargement
- Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries/Directorate General for Food
- Brittany Region
- Vie-Agro-Santé Doctoral College, University of Rennes
- Scientific Interest Group (GIS) on 'Cyanotoxins'
- Network of National Reference Laboratories for veterinary medicinal product residues
- Network of Départemental Analysis Laboratories for veterinary medicinal product residues
- Network of Interprofessional Dairy Laboratories
- Partners of the BIOCOP Integrated Project - www.biocop.org
- Network of National Reference Laboratories for antimicrobial resistance
- Mixed Unit INRA/National Veterinary School (ENV) of Toulouse
- Network of Laboratories within the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) and Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)
- International Atomic Energy Agency/Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO)
- International Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC International)
- Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) - European Section
- French Standards Institute (AFNOR)
- French Health Products Safety Agency (AFSSAPS)
- and the French Ministry of Ecology
- Association for Research and Development in the Food Industry (ADRIA) Technical Centres
- French Society of Detergents , Cleaning and Industrial Hygiene Products Industries (AFISE)
- Federations of hygiene product manufacturers