After a long development process, Olymel has taken a new step in improving quality control by setting up its own central microbiology laboratory. The existing infrastructure of its plant in Ange-Gardien, Montérégie, in which the company invested, will house this new entity's activities. The Ange-Gardien facilities were automated and its equipment upgraded to PCR technology, which will make analysis methods even more efficient and increase information traceability. This laboratory is licenced by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
A team of five professionals will permanently work in this new central microbiology laboratory under the supervision of Delphine Sène, director of food safety at Olymel. This new laboratory's analyses will focus on detecting primary pathogens like listeria and salmonella and confirming product shelf life (expiry date). Already a priority in its operations, the company's commitment to health, safety and quality is further cemented by this new initiative.
"By bringing previously outsourced analyses and tests in-house, Olymel can develop its own expertise, shorten turnaround times, and significantly reduce costs related to laboratory analyses across the company. Now that this sector is in-house, the laboratory will have the capacity to perform over 100,000 tests per year. This will give our company more autonomy to validate processes within the framework of the Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification obtained by all our plants, and our quality assurance management will be even more effective," said Sylvain Fournaise, vice president, food safety and technical services, and research and development.
Nevertheless, the company will continue to entrust analysis requests and tests required by a regulatory body like the Canadian Food Inspection Agency or Olymel's clients to independent laboratories.
