Modified Schedule for June 30 - July 4 2025

Alaska state offices will be closed on Friday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day.

As a result, the sample acceptance schedule for June 30 - July 4 must be modified, as follows:

Shellfish Growing Water (SGW) samples will be accepted on Monday June 30, Tuesday July 1, and by noon on Wednesday July 2.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) commercial samples will be accepted Monday June 30, Tuesday July 1, Wednesday July 2, and by noon on Thursday July 3.

Wet Storage samples will be accepted by 3pm Monday June 30.

Raw meat samples will be accepted Monday June 30, Tuesday July 1, and by noon on Wednesday July 2, 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 Monday June 30, Tuesday July 1, and by noon on Wednesday July 2, unless written extension by client is provided to hold longer than 24 hours for testing.

Manufactured and Cottage food samples will be accepted Monday June 30 – Thursday July 3, however the testing will be conducted when samples are pooled for efficiency.

Dairy testing is scheduled once a month, as usual, and is scheduled for the week of July 7th.

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, July 7, 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