AQUIMISA, S.L. (Unipersonal)

AQUIMISA, S.L. (Unipersonal), trading as ALS | Aquimisa, is a food safety and quality control analytical laboratory headquartered in Salamanca, Spain. Founded in 1994, it has grown into one of the most comprehensive food testing facilities in western Spain, serving food manufacturers, processors, retailers, agrifood cooperatives, water utilities, and any food-sector operator needing reliable analytical support for product safety, regulatory compliance, and quality assurance. Since its integration into the ALS Global multinational network — present in more than 65 countries with over 350 laboratory locations — AQUIMISA combines deep local expertise with international reference capabilities and inter-laboratory benchmarking.

The Salamanca facility occupies more than 3,500 square metres of purpose-built laboratory space equipped with state-of-the-art instrumentation, including liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS-MS) for pesticide residue and mycotoxin screening, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) for trace elemental and heavy metal determination, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry platforms for rapid, culture-confirmed microbial identification. Across Spain, ALS Aquimisa maintains laboratories and client-service delegations in 12 provinces, enabling nationwide sample logistics and local technical support.

Microbiological testing is a central service pillar. AQUIMISA detects and enumerates food-borne pathogens and hygiene-indicator organisms in line with EU Regulation 2073/2005 and client-specific standards, covering Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli (including STEC/VTEC strains), Campylobacter, Staphylococcus aureus, and coagulase-positive staphylococci among others. MALDI-TOF enables rapid species-level identification. The molecular biology department adds PCR-based methods for allergen detection and species authentication, while a dedicated pathology and serology section supports serological confirmation testing. Shelf-life studies, Challenge Tests, cleaning-process validation via environmental swabbing, and ATP hygiene monitoring complete the microbiological risk-management portfolio.

Chemical and instrumental analysis covers a broad catalogue of food safety and quality parameters. Pesticide multi-residue screening addresses several hundred active substances; mycotoxin panels include aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1, G2), ochratoxin A, zearalenone, fumonisins, deoxynivalenol (DON), T-2 and HT-2 toxins, and patulin. Heavy metals — lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, tin, and chromium — are quantified by ICP-MS. Nutritional analysis covers energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein, dietary fibre, moisture, salt, and ash for full EU Regulation 1169/2011 nutrition-labelling compliance. Allergen testing by validated ELISA and PCR methods addresses all 14 major EU-regulated allergens, including gluten, milk proteins, egg, peanut, tree nuts, soy, fish, crustaceans, molluscs, celery, mustard, lupin, sulphites, and sesame.

AQUIMISA holds ENAC accreditation (reference 221/LE1465) under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 for environmental sector testing, and is registered in SINAC (Sistema de Información Nacional de Agua de Consumo — Spain's national drinking-water information system) for potable-water analysis in official control programmes. Water testing spans physicochemical parameters — pH, conductivity, turbidity, colour, hardness, nitrates, chloride, sulphate — and microbiological indicators including total coliforms, E. coli, intestinal enterococci, Clostridium perfringens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and colony counts at 22 °C and 37 °C. Industrial effluent monitoring for food-processing discharge consent compliance is also available.

Beyond laboratory testing, AQUIMISA provides a food consulting and technical advisory service (Consultoría Food) supporting implementation of quality management systems including ISO 22000, IFS Food, BRC Global Standards, FSSC 22000, and GLOBALG.A.P. The laboratory holds GMP+ B11 certification (laboratory requirements for the animal feed sector) and GMP+ C7 status, making it an approved testing partner for animal feed and pet-food supply chains. Additional services encompass internal audit programmes, supplier qualification audits, food-fraud vulnerability assessments, export certification support for third-country markets, and food safety training for industry personnel.

With more than 30 years of analytical experience, ENAC ISO 17025 accreditation, GMP+ recognition, authorisation as an official Salmonella self-testing laboratory for poultry processing, and full integration into the ALS Global network, AQUIMISA is a credible, technically rigorous, and scalable testing partner for food, agriculture, and environmental clients of any size. Its combination of advanced instrumentation, multi-discipline laboratory departments, and embedded consulting services enables clients to address the full spectrum of food safety, quality assurance, and regulatory compliance needs from a single provider.