Testing labs in Louhans

Agro Alim Conseil is a specialist bacteriological and microbiological analysis laboratory located in Louhans, Saône-et-Loire, in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region of France. Founded in 1992, the laboratory has built more than three decades of expertise in applied microbiology for food safety, water quality, and animal health. Its client base spans the entire professional food chain, including agro-industrial manufacturers, collective catering establishments, artisan food producers (métiers de bouche — trades such as butchery, charcuterie, and bakery), and restaurant operators. As a member of the Réseau France Labo national network, Agro Alim Conseil benefits from shared technical benchmarks and inter-laboratory harmonization that further reinforce its analytical standing. The laboratory's core competency lies in the microbiological testing of food products and food-production environments. Under COFRAC accreditation guide LAB GTA 59 (Microbiological analyses of agri-food products and environments), the team conducts bacteriological analyses covering the detection and enumeration of key food-safety pathogens and hygiene indicator organisms. These analyses support manufacturers, processors, and caterers in verifying that finished products and production environments meet applicable microbiological criteria under European hygiene regulations (EC) No. 852/2004 and (EC) No. 853/2004, as well as relevant French national food-safety standards. Agro Alim Conseil holds specific COFRAC accreditation for the sampling and microbiological analysis of water, operating under guides LAB GTA 29 (Water sampling for physico-chemical and microbiological analyses) and LAB GTA 23 (Microbiological and biological analyses of water). The laboratory is authorized to analyze drinking water and environmental water samples across a range of bacteriological parameters. A key specialty is the research and enumeration of Legionella bacteria in network water systems — including cooling towers, hot-water distribution circuits, and mixed installations — in strict conformity with NF T90-431, the French standard governing Legionella detection. These analyses are critical for industrial facilities, hospitals, hotels, and building operators legally obligated to control Legionella risk in their water networks. In the field of animal health (santé animale), Agro Alim Conseil performs bacteriological testing on samples taken from livestock and poultry production environments. COFRAC-accredited under guide LAB GTA 36 (Testing in animal bacteriology), the laboratory specializes in the detection of Salmonella on surface swabs and environmental samples from animal production facilities, using methods adapted from the NF U47-100 standard. These analyses are essential for breeding farms, hatcheries, and livestock operators that must demonstrate compliance with national and European epizootic surveillance and official control programs, including mandatory salmonella control plans in poultry production. Beyond routine laboratory analysis, Agro Alim Conseil deploys experienced field teams to conduct active, on-site hygiene control services (contrôles d'hygiène) directly at client premises. Technicians perform contact-plate and swab sampling on food-contact surfaces — including cutting boards, work surfaces, knives, and utensils — to verify the effectiveness of cleaning and disinfection protocols. Results are measured against defined microbiological action thresholds, giving food businesses a concrete, quantified view of their surface hygiene status. This monitoring service is particularly valued by collective catering operators and restaurant groups seeking to validate and document their Plans de Maîtrise Sanitaire (Sanitary Control Plans) on a continuous, structured basis. Agro Alim Conseil further extends its offer to professional hygiene audits and food-safety training services. Its audit program is structured around EU Regulations (EC) No. 178/2002, 852/2004, and 853/2004, examining traceability management systems, good hygiene practices (bonnes pratiques d'hygiène), HACCP plan implementation, and sector-specific regulatory requirements. Training sessions led by laboratory experts cover HACCP methodology, PMS (Plan de Maîtrise Sanitaire — Sanitary Control Plan) development and implementation, European food-law requirements, and the microbiology of food spoilage and pathogen risks. This consulting dimension allows food operators to receive both authoritative analytical data and the practical expertise needed to manage food safety risks proactively. The laboratory was awarded COFRAC (Comité Français d'Accréditation) accreditation in October 2006 under the NF EN ISO/IEC 17025 standard — the internationally recognized benchmark for the technical competence of testing and calibration laboratories — registered under Technical Annex reference 1-1776. This accreditation validates the scientific rigor, method traceability, and measurement reliability of all covered analytical activities. Results produced under accreditation are officially recognized for regulatory reporting, official food-control inspections, and administrative enforcement purposes, giving clients the legal defensibility they need when responding to competent authority audits. From its base at the Zone Industrielle de l'Aupretin, Rue des Frères Lumières, 71500 Louhans, the laboratory's field teams serve a broad territory spanning Bourgogne-Franche-Comté — including Chalon-sur-Saône, Mâcon, Dijon, Lons-le-Saunier, Bourg-en-Bresse, and Paray-le-Monial — as well as parts of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. On-site sampling missions, hygiene monitoring visits, and audit assignments are conducted directly at client facilities by a responsive, qualified team available throughout normal business hours. This regional proximity, combined with over thirty years of uninterrupted operation and a robust COFRAC accreditation record, positions Agro Alim Conseil as the trusted microbiological testing and food-safety compliance partner for food manufacturers, caterers, water-network operators, and livestock producers across central and eastern France.