Modified Schedule for December 29, 2025 - January 2, 2026

Alaska state offices will be closed on Thursday, January 1st in observance of New Year's Day.

As a result, the sample acceptance schedule for December 29 - January 2 must be modified, as follows:

Shellfish Growing Water (SGW) samples will be accepted Monday Dec. 29 and by noon Tuesday Dec. 30.

Paralytic Shellfish Toxin (PST) commercial samples will be accepted Monday Dec. 29, Tuesday Dec. 30, by noon Wednesday Dec. 31, and by noon Friday Jan. 2.

Wet Storage samples will be accepted on Monday Dec. 29 by noon.

Raw meat samples will be accepted on Monday Dec. 29 and by noon Tuesday Dec. 30, 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 Dec. 29, and by noon on Tuesday Dec. 30 unless written extension is provided to hold longer than 24 hours for testing.

Manufactured and Cottage food samples and swabs will be accepted Monday Dec. 29, Tuesday Dec. 30, Wednesday Dec. 31, and Friday Jan. 2, 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 Dec. 15th and then Jan. 12th.

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, January 5, 2026.

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