Project Summary/Abstract – Discipline D: Special Projects Analytical Track 1 : Sample Collection The Laboratory Flexible Funding Model cooperative agreement, by necessity, requires the collection of food products for testing to support a culture of food safety in the state and nation. The State Hygienic Laboratory at the University of Iowa partners with the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals (IDIA) to minimizes risks in food consumption for the public through efficient and effective sample collection, analysis and results reporting to support the U.S. Food and Drug Administration goal of an integrated food safety system. SHL will conduct sample collection activities, in partnership with IDIA, in fulfillment of Special Projects Analytical Track 1: Sample collection will consist of collecting up to 500 samples comprised of juices, baby food, frozen vegetables, wine and spirits, spices and other “Ready To Eat” products. Samples will be analyzed as part of Discipline: Chemistry, Analytical Track 2, Human Food Product Testing. Food sample collection procedures, including actions describing specimen/sample collection, transport, preservation, storage and security are clearly defined in SHL SOP CV ENV 1311 FERN Food Surveillance (May 2018, updated May 2020) and SHL Policy 1531 Controlled Substances Handling, Storage, Use and Disposal (October 2018). These documents also refer to and require the use of legal chain of custody procedures and forms which are defined in SHL Policy 931 SHL Security and Legal Chain of Custody Policy (September 2016, updated May 2019. SHL is a regulatory laboratory for several state of Iowa departments (Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals, Iowa Department of Public Health, Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship) and thus is obligated to maintain competency in sample collection procedures, legal chain of custody and secure IT data transfer protocols. This project will be beneficial to FDA and SHL to improve its capability and capacity for analysis of large volumes of samples for a variety of analytes, teach additional staff members these methods, and continue to work on various processes with Iowa Department of Inspection and Appeals, including sample collection and chain of custody, which are crucial during events. Successful completion of this project will help the FDA enhance its nationally integrated food safety system and will strengthen its efforts to detect, prevent, and minimize foodborne exposures.