ASEHL Radiochemistry, Food Defense

ASEHL项目摘要- gamma SFY2021

ASEHL Project Summary-Gamma SFY2021 ASEHL plans to test a minimum of 25 seafood samples screening for gamma radiation collected by the regulatory program, Food Safety and Sanitation (FSS). ASEHL will also work to put gamma screening in ISO scope. If awarded funding for this track, the Division of Environmental Health proposes to expand the current radioactivity surveillance program, which was initiated in response to the Fukushima nuclear plant disaster. The project aims to detect gamma radiation in a variety of species of fish harvested from various Alaskan waters. Samples will primarily be sourced from processors prior to processing, however, packaged raw fish may be purchased at retail if source waters can be confidently identified and pre-processed samples are unobtainable for a particular species or source water. Species of interest were selected with input from the Department of Environmental Conservation Fish Monitoring Program and the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Samples will be collected by trained Food Safety & Sanitation (FSS) program staff, and handled and transported according to procedures currently in place, which include maintaining sample integrity, aseptic technique and chain of custody, and are in conformance with the manufactured food regulatory program standards (MFRPS.) Samples will be collected throughout the year, approximately 6-8 per quarter, though the seasonality of some species and access to the identified sampling areas may affect the schedule. Selection will aim for representation of the maximum number of species and waters sampled each year, while taking into consideration other program travel and workload leveraging wherever possible.