Modified Schedule for June 30 - July 4 2025

Alaska state offices will be closed on Monday, September 1st in observance of Independence Day.

As a result, the sample acceptance schedule for Sept 1 - Sept 5 must be modified, as follows:

Shellfish Growing Water (SGW) samples will be accepted on Tuesday Sept 2, Wednesday Sept 3, and by noon on Thursday Sept 4.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) commercial samples will be accepted Tuesday Sept 2, Wednesday Sept 3, Thursday Sept 4, and by noon on Friday Sept 3.

Wet Storage samples will be accepted by noon Tuesday Sept 2.

Raw meat samples will be accepted Tuesday Sept 2, Wednesday Sept 3, and by noon on Thursday Sept 4, however meat samples are pooled for efficiency, generally once a week.

Slaughter sponge samples are good for 24 hours per USDA. Sponges will be accepted Tuesday Sept 2, Wednesday Sept 3, and by noon on Thursday Sept 4, unless written extension is provided to hold longer than 24 hours for testing.

Manufactured and Cottage food samples and swabs will be accepted Tuesday Sept 2 - Friday Sept 5, however the testing will be conducted when samples are pooled for efficiency.

Dairy testing is scheduled once a month is next scheduled for the week of Sept 22nd.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) recreational/research (PCOX) sample will be accepted any workday; however, the testing will be as soon as possible given current backlog.

Normal sample acceptance schedules resume on Monday, Sept 8, 2025.

Assistance is available with timing of sample collections, completion of submission forms, packaging, temperature requirements, shipping, and sample tracking. Sampling questions, planned sampling activities, and shipping notifications, can be made to DEC.EH-Lab-ShippingReceiving@alaska.gov or 907-375-8231.

Regards,

Patryce D. McKinney, MBA

Chief, Environmental Health Laboratory