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I want my, well you know what, tested by enterolab on gluten, dairy and soy. My first concern was how do I get the samples from here, Holland to Dallas within 24 hours. I know now that can be arranged. But looking on those websites of TNT, UPS. They all ask questions like measurements of the package, weight. I have no idea yet. But that I can figure out once I have the test kit here. Another questions, the custom value.......eh I would say to me a lot but to everybody else zero. It is human biological material, there is no value to others I would say. And another question I asked myself, can the kit be send by normal package post or are there some special requirements. Has anybody, outside the US any experience with this?? If so, which company did you use and what were your experiences?
Please if somebody knows more about this, I would appreciate some help.
enterolab testing oversees
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Hi Harma,
I agree with Joan, e-mailing Enterolab would be a good idea, since they can answer any questions you might have, and the most important one is whether they can send a test kit to the Netherlands. In the meantime, to give you an idea of what to expect, when you order your test kit, they will send you everything you need to collect the sample, package it, and ship it. In most countries, DHL is the shipping company used, and they will pick up the sample from your doorstep. The kit should come with a label, and the shipping will be prepaid, and DHL should take care of all the customs requirements, (if I'm wrong about any of this, Ant can probably provide updated information, since he ordered his test kit fairly recently).
Once you collect the sample, it must be frozen, and kept frozen until it is picked up by DHL. Shipments can only be made on certain days, so that it will arrive at the lab in time for it to be processed before the weekend. (They don't want any spoiled you-know-what sitting around, when they open the doors on Monday morning).
The instructions will tell you which days can be used for shipping, and you just call DHL, (or whatever company makes the delivery), and tell them that it is ready to be picked up, on one of those days.
Tex
I agree with Joan, e-mailing Enterolab would be a good idea, since they can answer any questions you might have, and the most important one is whether they can send a test kit to the Netherlands. In the meantime, to give you an idea of what to expect, when you order your test kit, they will send you everything you need to collect the sample, package it, and ship it. In most countries, DHL is the shipping company used, and they will pick up the sample from your doorstep. The kit should come with a label, and the shipping will be prepaid, and DHL should take care of all the customs requirements, (if I'm wrong about any of this, Ant can probably provide updated information, since he ordered his test kit fairly recently).
Once you collect the sample, it must be frozen, and kept frozen until it is picked up by DHL. Shipments can only be made on certain days, so that it will arrive at the lab in time for it to be processed before the weekend. (They don't want any spoiled you-know-what sitting around, when they open the doors on Monday morning).
The instructions will tell you which days can be used for shipping, and you just call DHL, (or whatever company makes the delivery), and tell them that it is ready to be picked up, on one of those days.Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Hi Harma
I sent my stool sample on 27th July from Hong Kong. The instructions are pretty clear when you get the kit. I was in email and phone contact with Enterolab right from the start because my visa card payment did not seem to work. I ended up giving my visa card details directly to Enterolab by phone and they were able to process the payment that way. Hopefully you will not need to do that and your payment will be easily accepted via internet.
I used FedEx, which worked well. I went to see them first to ask about how to send something as strange as a stool sample. Together with the instruction from Enterolab, they helped me fill in the form. On the FedEx form (and I guess it will be the same for you if you use FedEx or DHL or whatever) you have to write your own and Enterolab's address and Telephone number - you will be given all the Enterolab address details in the Kit. For Commodity Description I wrote "exempt human specimen for testing"; for the Country of Manufacture I wrote "Hong Kong" (I have to laugh) and for the Value for Customs I wrote "OneUS$". 
You also have to enclose and attach two copies of a letter, giving your name address and contact details and wording that is given you in the papers that come with your kit.
I collected my sample on a Wednesday and kept it frozen until first thing Monday morning when I personally took it to the FedEx office down town. I wanted it to be first thing Monday given what they say about not sending too late. All went well until it got held up in US customs for 2 days. I called FedEx and Enterolab to put some inquiries into the system. After 48 hours it got released from customs and got to Enterolab by, I think, Thursday. Anyway, Enterolab knew about the delay and said that in fact it would have been OK for a few more days. I think the best thing is to keep Enterolab well informed of the shipment progress if it does not look like arriving within three days of being sent.
Good luck, and ask me if you have any other questions, best ant.
P.S. there is a posting on this board about my delayed "package", but I have not worked out how to insert that here.
I sent my stool sample on 27th July from Hong Kong. The instructions are pretty clear when you get the kit. I was in email and phone contact with Enterolab right from the start because my visa card payment did not seem to work. I ended up giving my visa card details directly to Enterolab by phone and they were able to process the payment that way. Hopefully you will not need to do that and your payment will be easily accepted via internet.
I used FedEx, which worked well. I went to see them first to ask about how to send something as strange as a stool sample. Together with the instruction from Enterolab, they helped me fill in the form. On the FedEx form (and I guess it will be the same for you if you use FedEx or DHL or whatever) you have to write your own and Enterolab's address and Telephone number - you will be given all the Enterolab address details in the Kit. For Commodity Description I wrote "exempt human specimen for testing"; for the Country of Manufacture I wrote "Hong Kong" (I have to laugh
) and for the Value for Customs I wrote "OneUS$". You also have to enclose and attach two copies of a letter, giving your name address and contact details and wording that is given you in the papers that come with your kit.
I collected my sample on a Wednesday and kept it frozen until first thing Monday morning when I personally took it to the FedEx office down town. I wanted it to be first thing Monday given what they say about not sending too late. All went well until it got held up in US customs for 2 days. I called FedEx and Enterolab to put some inquiries into the system. After 48 hours it got released from customs and got to Enterolab by, I think, Thursday. Anyway, Enterolab knew about the delay and said that in fact it would have been OK for a few more days. I think the best thing is to keep Enterolab well informed of the shipment progress if it does not look like arriving within three days of being sent.
Good luck, and ask me if you have any other questions, best ant.
P.S. there is a posting on this board about my delayed "package", but I have not worked out how to insert that here.
Harma,
Maybe if you ask the folks at Entrolab about the proper wording to use when declaring the contents of the package on the customs form, you can avoid any delays at the port of entry.
Here is the thread that Ant was referring to:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ght=#64707
Ant,
When you locate an old topic that you want to post a link to in your message, just look up at the top of your browser page, and locate the URL in the navigation bar, (it should be an URL that's preceded by the Potty People favicon, and it should look something like this: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/vieto ... ..etc.,etc.). Simply right-click on it, which should highlight it, (if that doesn't automatically highlight it, then highlight it manually, by left-clicking at the left end of it, and dragging the cursor across it - be sure you drag far enough to get the entire URL, because usually, only part of it will fit in the window - then release the left mouse button, and right-click on it), and select "Copy" from the drop down menu that opens. That will copy the URL to the clipboard, and then you can simply paste it into your message, wherever you wish. That also works for copying any other URL, anywhere on the internet, for pasting into a message. The navigation bar is usually the second one from the top, in most browsers. (It should contain a back-button, a refresh icon, a home icon, etc.)
Thanks for the updated primer on sample-shipping.
Tex
Maybe if you ask the folks at Entrolab about the proper wording to use when declaring the contents of the package on the customs form, you can avoid any delays at the port of entry.
Here is the thread that Ant was referring to:
http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/viewt ... ght=#64707
Ant,
When you locate an old topic that you want to post a link to in your message, just look up at the top of your browser page, and locate the URL in the navigation bar, (it should be an URL that's preceded by the Potty People favicon, and it should look something like this: http://www.perskyfarms.com/phpBB2/vieto ... ..etc.,etc.). Simply right-click on it, which should highlight it, (if that doesn't automatically highlight it, then highlight it manually, by left-clicking at the left end of it, and dragging the cursor across it - be sure you drag far enough to get the entire URL, because usually, only part of it will fit in the window - then release the left mouse button, and right-click on it), and select "Copy" from the drop down menu that opens. That will copy the URL to the clipboard, and then you can simply paste it into your message, wherever you wish. That also works for copying any other URL, anywhere on the internet, for pasting into a message. The navigation bar is usually the second one from the top, in most browsers. (It should contain a back-button, a refresh icon, a home icon, etc.)
Thanks for the updated primer on sample-shipping.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
my test kit from Enterolab arrived this week and FedEx is going to pick it up coming Monday. Yes the instructions of enterolab were very clear. There were some things I did not understand about the return sending but that had more to do with doing something like this for the first time. I got some help from an American friend, and hopefully it will all work out now.
I am also going to use FedEx for this delivery but Ant I live in small town up north in the Netherlands with no FedEx office quit near, this is not exactly Hongkong But the lady on the phone was very friendly.
I have only one other question, the FedEx lady told me I have to draw on the box a diamond (if that is the right word comes out of the dictionary what I mean is a square on its point, if I am using a wrong word feel free to correct I like to improve my English as much as possible) but in that square on its point I have to write UN 3373. This is a code for biological material or samples derived from human or animal bodies (like blood, urine etc).
I was surprised, did you have to do this Ant? I told FedEx, like said in the instructions of enterolab, that it was biological specimen but that is not known to be infectious. Or should this be a Dutch or EU (European union) law?
I am also going to use FedEx for this delivery but Ant I live in small town up north in the Netherlands with no FedEx office quit near, this is not exactly Hongkong
But the lady on the phone was very friendly. I have only one other question, the FedEx lady told me I have to draw on the box a diamond (if that is the right word comes out of the dictionary what I mean is a square on its point, if I am using a wrong word feel free to correct I like to improve my English as much as possible) but in that square on its point I have to write UN 3373. This is a code for biological material or samples derived from human or animal bodies (like blood, urine etc).
I was surprised, did you have to do this Ant? I told FedEx, like said in the instructions of enterolab, that it was biological specimen but that is not known to be infectious. Or should this be a Dutch or EU (European union) law?
Harma,
I believe that's an international requirement, for shipping biological material. Here are guidelines for shipping various types of material. Just below the article, click on the link that says, "IATA Shipping guide - Step by step instructions for shipping each catagory". Yours would be category B.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CBEQ9QEwAw
Note that even though that article is posted by a very prestigious organization, they misspelled "category", in the link I listed, above.
Tex
I believe that's an international requirement, for shipping biological material. Here are guidelines for shipping various types of material. Just below the article, click on the link that says, "IATA Shipping guide - Step by step instructions for shipping each catagory". Yours would be category B.
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt ... CBEQ9QEwAw
Note that even though that article is posted by a very prestigious organization, they misspelled "category", in the link I listed, above.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
No it should not be labelled category b, but as exempt human specimens. I told them as exactly as was written in the instructions of enterolab, but it went wrong. I will call again monday morning. This is just one of those situation when it is important to have yourself all the right information. Thanks for the link tex.
Harma,
I believe you're right, unless you have a known infectious disease, but that means that you don't need the UN 3373 label.
I have found that the people who answer the phone at UPS, FedEx, etc., seldom understand the regulations, except for the simplest types of shipments. Since they are worried about making a mistake, if they don't understand the regulations, they will always impose more requirements, (and higher charges), than necessary. If you put a HazMat label, (such as the UN 3373 label), on the package, it will cost a lot more to ship.
Tex
I believe you're right, unless you have a known infectious disease, but that means that you don't need the UN 3373 label.
I have found that the people who answer the phone at UPS, FedEx, etc., seldom understand the regulations, except for the simplest types of shipments. Since they are worried about making a mistake, if they don't understand the regulations, they will always impose more requirements, (and higher charges), than necessary. If you put a HazMat label, (such as the UN 3373 label), on the package, it will cost a lot more to ship.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Dear Harma
I did not have to put "UN 3373" inside a diamond shape on my package. You might want to call Enterolab again to ask their advice on this. But as Tex says the FedEx people may want to avoid making a mistake and are, therefore, overcomplicated things.
Best, Ant
P.S. 'a square on its point' is a 'diamond' shape. You have that word 100% correct!
I did not have to put "UN 3373" inside a diamond shape on my package. You might want to call Enterolab again to ask their advice on this. But as Tex says the FedEx people may want to avoid making a mistake and are, therefore, overcomplicated things.
Best, Ant
P.S. 'a square on its point' is a 'diamond' shape. You have that word 100% correct!
