Modified Schedule for November 24-28, 2025

Alaska state offices will be closed on Thursday, November 27th in observance of Veterans' Day.

As a result, the sample acceptance schedule for Nov. 24 - Nov. 28 must be modified, as follows:

Shellfish Growing Water (SGW) samples will be accepted on Monday Nov. 24, and by noon Tuesday Nov. 25.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) commercial samples will be accepted Monday Nov. 24, Tuesday Nov. 25, by noon Wednesday Nov. 26, and by noon Friday Nov. 28.

Wet Storage samples will be accepted Monday Nov. 24 by noon.

Raw meat samples will be accepted Monday Nov. 24, and by noon Tuesday Nov. 25, 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 Nov. 24, and by noon on Tuesday Nov. 25 unless written extension is provided to hold longer than 24 hours for testing.

Manufactured and Cottage food samples and swabs will be accepted Monday Nov. 24, Tuesday Nov. 25, Wednesday Nov. 26, and Friday Nov. 28, 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 Nov. 17th and then Dec. 15th.

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, Dec. 1, 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