# ASEHL Radiochemistry, Food Defense

> **NIH FDA U19** · ALASKA STATE DEPT/ENVIRONMTL CONSERVATN · 2020 · $100,000

## Abstract

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.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10173552
- **Project number:** 1U19FD007065-01
- **Recipient organization:** ALASKA STATE DEPT/ENVIRONMTL CONSERVATN
- **Principal Investigator:** PATRYCE D MCKINNEY
- **Activity code:** U19 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** FDA
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $100,000
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2020-09-01 → 2025-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10173552

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10173552, ASEHL Radiochemistry, Food Defense (1U19FD007065-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10173552. Licensed CC0.

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