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State public health laboratory flagged arsenic in packaged juice, maintains water, shellfish and PFAS programs
Summary
During the budget briefing, DHHS officials detailed the public health laboratory's testing workload — thousands of water and food samples, wastewater surveillance, PFAS and radon testing — and described a 2024 lab finding that led to a 14,000‑case juice recall.
New Hampshire’s state public health laboratory performs high‑volume and varied testing that department staff say plays a recurring role in consumer safety, disease surveillance and emergency response.
The division told the Finance Division that in 2024 the laboratory tested more than 16,000 water samples — including roughly 2,500 private well samples — and that the lab’s chemistry work identified arsenic in a boxed apple juice product that led to a recall of more than 14,000 cases distributed across 26 states. The detection, Tilley said, underscores the lab’s role in protecting children and other consumers from adulterated food and beverage products.
Officials also briefed members on other laboratory functions: microbiology and chemical testing of foods (including dairy and shellfish), a wastewater surveillance program for respiratory pathogens, testing tied to PFAS investigations in drinking water funded in part by the Department of Environmental Services, and a radiochemistry capability used in certain emergency responses. The lab also conducts radon and lead‑related analyses and performs animal rabies testing in partnership with fish and game authorities.
Tilley and lab staff described surge and contracting strategies used to meet short‑term demand. During COVID‑era expansions the lab relied on temporary hiring and specialized contracts; some disease‑oriented federal grants (for example, the epidemiology and laboratory capacity, ELC, awards) later contracted and the laboratory has maintained a mix of permanent staff and contract capacity to flex up for emergencies.
Committee members asked whether the lab or the division tracks the results of free radon test kits distributed to residents; Tilley said the program distributes tests but does not require users to report back results, though the division will provide outreach and mitigation guidance when tests indicate elevated readings. Members also discussed PFAS testing in private wells and schools; Tilley said the department partners with DES, which funds remediation work for schools while DHHS has focused on childcare testing and follow‑up.
Ending: Legislators said they will examine lab budget lines for equipment and contracts as they consider the governor’s recommendation, emphasizing cross‑agency coordination for PFAS, radon and food safety work.
