Science & Research
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Arkansas Regional Lab (ARL)
ARKANSAS REGIONAL LAB (JEFFERSON, AR)
FY 10 Analysts on board: 65
FY 10 Samples Analyzed: 5,243
Program Capabilities
Food Chemistry Laboratory
ARL’s Food Chemistry Laboratory consists of the Food Sanitation Laboratory, the Food Colors and Food Additives Laboratory, and the Counter Terrorism (CT) Chemistry Laboratory. The Food Sanitation Laboratory performs analyses for filth (includes insect and rodent) and decomposition (primarily seafood). The laboratory performs testing of drug residues in products of animal origin including residues in seafood, honey, and milk. The Food Chemistry Laboratory also tests dietary supplements and ingredient for toxic botanical constituents.
ARL’s Food Chemistry Laboratory consists of the Food Sanitation Laboratory, the Food Colors and Food Additives Laboratory, and the Counter Terrorism (CT) Chemistry Laboratory. The Food Sanitation Laboratory performs analyses for filth (includes insect and rodent) and decomposition (primarily seafood). The laboratory performs testing of drug residues in products of animal origin including residues in seafood, honey, and milk. The Food Chemistry Laboratory also tests dietary supplements and ingredient for toxic botanical constituents.
Pesticide Laboratory
Currently, a High Throughput Laboratory for pesticide analysis.
ARL is the primary ORA dioxin testing laboratory
Microbiology Laboratory.
The Microbiology laboratory consists of three teams tasked with analyzing a wide range of imported and domestic food and cosmetics for pathogens, indicator organisms and toxins using conventional and rapid molecular based technologies. It also specializes in analyzing low acid canned food products for evidence of microbial contamination and container integrity.
Recently acquired DNA sequencing capacity for unknown pathogen identification and fish speciation to provide seafood safety and prevention of economic fraud.
Specialized Capabilities
- ARL is collaborating with NCTR to establish capability for nanotechnology.
- ORA’s mobile laboratories reside at ARL when they are not deployed.
- One of two Salmonella serotyping reference laboratories. (ARL and DEN-DO)
- BSL-2 suite with capabilities necessary to analyze samples containing potential CT agents.
- The only C. botulism and Paralytic Shellfish Poison mouse bioassay confirmatory lab.
- One of two laboratories with PFGE capacity in the BSL security lab for C. bot analysis in the event of C. bot outbreak investigation. (ARL and SRL)
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