Research themes
2006 – 2010
The Laboratory for the Study of Residues and Contaminants in Food (LABERCA) is a research unit of Nantes Atlantic National College of Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Engineering (ONIRIS) with the seal of approval of the General Directorate of Teaching and Research (DGER) within the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA, Human Nutrition department). It is also a National Reference Laboratory (LNR) regulated by the General Food Directorate (DGAI) within the Ministry of Agriculture, and the General Health and Consumer Directorate (European Commission) concerning the support of the relevant authority in terms of risk management in its activities linked to chemical substances in foodstuffs (Figure 1).
- Figure 1 : Classes de résidus et contaminants chimiques entrant dans le champ d’activité de l’Unité.
- Figure 2 : Schéma scientifique directeur cadrant les activités de recherche de l’Unité.
From a scientific point of view, the Unit’s general field of activity is concerned with chemical safety of food, and fall within the framework of a general and global procedure of risk assessment, from agricultural supply to Man and his offspring (Figure 2). The LABERCA endeavours to generate knowledge relative to the sources, transfer and metabolism of the chemical compounds studied, in order to characterize both the consumer’s exposure to the chemical substances (measures of occurrence of these parameters in foodstuffs) and also its impregnation regarding these same parameters, their metabolites or their degradation products in biological fluids and human tissues (Figure 3). More recently, and through a certain number of collaborative works, the unit has produced more in-depth data enabling it to contribute to the characterization of dangers - in particular for endocrine disrupting substances – by the identification of biomarkers of exposure and/or the effect which is proof of the parameter being studied, and also by the study of possible correlations between prevalence of the parameter (exposure or impregnation) and clinical observation.
- Figure 3 : Principaux types d’études conduites par l’Unité dans le cadre de son schéma directeur.
In the above-mentioned themes, two historical fields of technical and technological skills of the laboratory are regularly exploited. Firstly, the treatment of biological samples with the view of isolating targeted substances present in trace amounts within complex biological matrices. Secondly, the precise characterization of these compounds (elucidation of chemical structures and quantitative measurement) via sophisticated spectrometric techniques imposed by the contextual demands (concentrations, complexity and variability of the environments, use of data, etc.) This relative rarity in terms of know-how is often sought after by partners and is made use of, a fact that is proven by the number of research projects (around twenty) which the LABERCA is involved in both regionally (Pays de la Loire and Brittany regions, VALORIAL competitiveness hub), nationally (DGAI, AFSSA, AFSSET, INRA, INvS) and indeed internationally (4th, 5th, 6th and 7th Research and Development Framework Programmes). The Unit’s instrument resources are well-adapted in terms of number and in quality, and include all the types of coupling of organic or non-organic mass spectrometry (isotopic composition of carbon, IRMS) with gas-phase or conventional liquid/nanodebit chromatography, high-resolution mass analysers (with orbital trapping, electromagnetic sector) or not (simple quadripole), and also multidimensional hybrid version (Q-trap or Q-TOF) or tandem (triple quadripole).
In parallel, the LABERCA has also been developing for a few years now new analytical approaches based on global emerging technologies (i.e. non targeted), notably of metabolomic type. The Unit currently takes part in several research projects calling upon these metabolic profiling approaches, whether locally, nationally or at a European level. Although clearly more recent than the previously described research areas, this new scope of the laboratory is already rather well identified by the community. For the LABERCA, this know-how is part of a global scientific development plan which tends to complete its exposure studies by research projects centred on the effects of these chemical pollutants (notably of endocrine disrupting type) on human health.
Finally, the laboratory research activities as a whole are being run according to a quality management system covering the ISO 17025:2005 standard (accreditation of the measurement activities under the maximum flexible scope) and ISO 9001:2008 (certification of the research and international training activities).
2012 – 2015
The scientific project of the Unit for the period 2012-2015 comes within the scope of the previous one and will ensure its continuity. The global sphere of activity will therefore remain focused on Chemical Food Safety in an integrated risk assessment approach, from feed to man and his descendants. Over this next four-year period, the Unit will however endeavour (1) to enlarge the panel of chemical contaminants of interest (endocrine disrupters in particular), (2) to improve basic knowledge regarding their sources, occurrence, transfer and evolution in foodstuffs (exposure) and biological fluids or tissues (body burden), (3) to combine targeted approaches of these substances or of their metabolites and global characterization approaches of the characteristic biological fingerprinting of these substances (exposure and/or effect markers) and finally (4) to make the most of the corresponding acquired knowledge in order to better characterise the risk associated with these chemical contaminants. Over the 2012-2015 period, the scientific objectives have been defined in the frame of the 3 main following research topics:
1- Study of the transfer and fate of chemical contaminants from the environment to mankind through the food chain
- Metabolism studies of environmental contaminants (PFCs, phtalates, Bisphenol A, alkylphenols etc.) will aim to identify relevant target metabolites or degradation products regarding their potential toxicity and/or their marker residue character. On this topic, LABERCA will maintain its close collaboration with the Xenobiotic Unit in Toulouse (UMR 1089 INRA).
- As National Reference Laboratory, LABERCA will continue its studies on the metabolism of growth promoters in a mainly regulatory framework of food control, considering once again the use of these metabolites as residue markers. Several research projects are already planned at national (private company) and international (FP7, Marie Curie) levels.
2- Study of biological fingerprinting characterising the effects of chemical exposure
Based on the demonstrated relevance of the global ‘omics fingerprinting strategies (mainly metabolomics but also proteomics) as set up in the previous period, LABERCA is now aiming to extend the applications and to conduct this strategy at a high throughput scale. Several projects related to growth promoters or environmental contaminants are already planned at the regional (Competitiveness Hub), national (private companies) and international (FP7) levels.
3- Utilisation of direct (metabolites) or indirect biomarkers in a risk assessment perspective
This topic is expected to implement knowledge acquired in topics 1 & 2 with the objective of contributing to the risk characterisation related to these chemical contaminants with a significant emphasis on exposure and body burden determination. To better answer this wide-ranging question, 3 sub-topics have been defined:
3a – Characterisation of target population exposure and body burden regarding emerging contaminants and their metabolites (PFCs, BFRs, phtalates, endocrine disrupters in general, etc.). This topic will be notably conducted in the framework of an ANR project coordinated by LABERCA and an EAT study (general and targeted) managed by ANSES.
3b – Development of a hazard characterisation axis, especially for endocrine disrupter compounds. The objective here will be to investigate the potential link between target biomarkers or global metabolomic profiles and some biological and/or clinical endpoints related to certain troubles or pathologies potentially linked, among other factors, to a chemical exposure (reproductive function, cancer, etc.). This axis will imply the widening and strengthening of LABERCA’s network, in particular toward the medical academic world (IRSSET, INSERM, CRNH Nantes).
3c – Food safety characterization associated to growth promoter abuse in breeding animals. Classical targeted or quantitative approaches will be put into place to monitor direct metabolites or biomarkers of exposure. Several projects are already planned on this historical area of the Unit at regional, national and European levels.
Twelve research projects with regional, national or European funding are planned for the 2012 – 2015 period. The success of the Unit’s project and the ability to reach the corresponding objectives obviously not only rest on the historical skills of the laboratory but also on the efforts made to establish and to continue new collaborative projects and partnerships.
Collaborative projects
The LABERCA is involved in and is an active member at the heart of various networks and partnerships, in particular alongside the following units, structures, institutes and organizations on a regional, national and international level:
- Regional: ANSES Fougères and Ploufragan, IFREMER Nantes, INRA-BIA Nantes, IRSET Rennes, CRNH Nantes, INSERM U625 Rennes,
- National: UX-INRA Toulouse, ANSES Maisons-Alfort, ENSAIA Nancy, INSERM U747 Paris, INSERM U553 Paris, INSERM U896 Montpellier
- International: RIVM, RIKILT, University of Wageningen, Queen’s University of Belfast, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine in Ghent, Copenhagen Royal Hospital, Zurich University
