Reference activities of the Fougères Laboratory

Reference mandates for veterinary medicinal product and dye residues

The Fougères Laboratory is the National Reference Laboratory (NRL) for residues of all classes of veterinary medicinal products and the European Union Reference Laboratory (EURL) for veterinary antibiotic residues in foodstuffs of animal origin and for dye residues banned in aquaculture.

These activities concern groups A6, B1, B2a, B2b, B2d, B2e, B2f except glucocorticoids and B3e, described in Annex I of Council Directive 96/23/EC. After the entry into force of a new regulation in preparation (Document SANTE 2017-11987 rev10 of 9 December 2020), they will concern the future groups A2a, A2b, A3a, A3c, A3f, B1a and B1e. Group A includes substances having an anabolic effect and unauthorised substances, while Group B is made up of authorised veterinary medicinal products and certain contaminants.

The missions of the reference laboratory, at both national and European levels, aim to improve and harmonise the analytical, testing and diagnostic methods used by approved official laboratories and the data they generate. 

Find out more
Visit the website of the European Union Reference Laboratory for veterinary medicinal product and dye residues in food.

National Reference Laboratory for antimicrobial resistance

Together with ANSES's Ploufragan-Plouzané-Niort Laboratory, the Fougères Laboratory has been carrying out missions as the National Reference Laboratory for antimicrobial resistance since 2009.

Its responsibilities involve:

• measuring the antibiotic susceptibility of sentinel (E. coli) and zoonotic (Salmonella and Campylobacter) bacteria isolated from food-producing animals and food thereof as part of the national surveillance programmes implemented by the Directorate General for Food (Zoonosis Directive 2003/99/EC and Decision (EU) 2020/1729). These tests are carried out by COFRAC-accredited laboratories (COFRAC is the French Accreditation Committee);
• identifying emerging resistance mechanisms in these bacterial species;
• running a network of approved laboratories and organising inter-laboratory proficiency tests (ILPTs);
• evaluating commercial devices designed to determine the antibiotic susceptibility of bacterial strains of animal origin;
• analysing resistance patterns based on changes in veterinary and breeding practices as part of public policies to reduce antibiotic use on farms;
• contributing to risk assessments concerning the transfer of resistance to humans through food.