Our services:

A. Laboratory analyses:

We analyze human food samples that are collected in supermarkets, restaurants… by the ministries competent for food control and that are brought to the LNS. We pass the laboratory results to the ministry so that they can decide whether the product remains on the market or is to be withdrawn from the market. The ministry passes our laboratory results to the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) and this at their own request. LNS thus does not pass directly food results to the European level.

Chemistry:

• Pesticides: screening for and quantification of 284 pesticides, for example: organochlorines organophosphates, carbamates, phenylureas;
• Mycotoxins, for example: deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, ochratoxins, fumonisines and aflatoxins;
• Food contact materials, for example: bisphenol A;
• Process contaminants, for example: acrylamide that can be formed during the preparation of French fries or chips, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons that can be formed when meat is barbecued or in smoked fish;
• Allergens, for example: soy, mustard, nuts;
• Additives, for example: histamine; nitrates and nitrites, sulphites.

Microbiology and molecular biology:

• Bacteriology, for example: Enterohaemorrhagic Escherichia Coli (EHEC), Bacillus Cereus, Salmonella spp, Listeria monocytogenes;
• Bacterial toxins, for example Staphyloccous enterotoxins (SEs);
• Virology, for example : Norovirus GI, GII and Hepatitis A;
• Yeasts and molds;
• Molecular Biology: detection and quantification of genetically modified organisms for example in soy, maize and rice.

More information on the performed analyses

More information on ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation

B. Scientific expertise:

Our technical responsibles participate in the workshops organized by the European Reference Laboratories. This allows them to remain updated with the latest requirements of the European legislation and the continuous new developments that each Member State has to implement.

Our technical responsibles also participate in the seminars and workshops organized in Luxembourg. Often, they are asked as speakers, for example at the seminars of “La sécurité dans mon assiette”.

C. Applied research:

We develop new methods in line with European legislation, and this in the multiple analytical domains for which we are official control and reference laboratory; the full list of analytical domains is below.

Mycotoxins and pesticides are our strengths and we regularly publish peer-review articles on more innovative aspects in these domains. We present our work at (inter-)national scientific congresses.

Publications:

• Peer-review publications
• Articles Annual Report LNS

D. Education & Teaching

We accommodate PhD students and internships of Master students. We welcome about 2 students each year. In addition, Dr Justine Pincemaille teaches 50 h of chemistry at the University of Lorraine.

E. Official control laboratory and reference laboratory

The Service “Food Monitoring” is official control laboratory and reference laboratory in line with the EU regulation 2017/625, and this for 14 analytical domains:

1. pesticide residues in cereals
2. pesticide residues in fruits and vegetables
3. pesticide residues – ‘single residue methods’
4. process contaminants
5. mycotoxins
6. plant toxins
7. food contact materials
8. genetically modified organisms (official control)
9. genetically modified organisms (validation of methods)
10. Salmonella
11. EHEC (enterohaemorrhagic E. coli)
12. nitrogeneous compounds
13. staphylococcus
14. foodborne viruses

Our partners:

• Administration luxembourgeoise vétérinaire et alimentaire (ALVA)
• Administration des services techniques de l’agriculture (ASTA)
• Landesamt für Verbraucherschutz Saarland (Saarland)
• European Network of GMO Laboratories

Our team:

[Please note that this page is still under construction – the complete list of team members will be added at a later stage].