Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory

09/28/2026

MS State Chemist Dr. Erika Peoples-Womack traveled to South Carolina to attend the Basic Inspector Training Seminar (BITS). BITS is an educational opportunity hosted jointly by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the Association of American Plant Food Control Officials (AAPFCO) to provide hands-on continuing education for officials responsible for inspecting and sampling feeds and fertilizers.

Dr. Womack-Peoples gained valuable insight into the foundational steps of regulatory work, inspection and sample collection. These initial steps are critical to the entire regulatory process, as the quality and integrity of the inspection and sample collection directly impact everything that follows.

Bringing this knowledge back to Mississippi will strengthen our ability to partner with our sister agencies, better understand their regulatory needs, and ultimately enhance the services we provide to the State of Mississippi.

08/24/2026

If you’re in the market for your next favorite comfy tee, here’s one that looks great and supports a great cause.

By purchasing a shirt from the Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons (link below), you’re helping support an incredible organization dedicated to bringing awareness and hope to families of missing and unidentified individuals.

And I can personally vouch for the shirt. It’s really comfortable! So why not treat yourself to a new favorite tee while supporting a fantastic cause?

100% cotton Gildan Short Sleeve Tee with The Mississippi Repository for Missing and Unidentified Persons graphic.

08/07/2026

Please help us welcome Christina Childers to her new role with the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory as Director of Chemical Regulatory and Petroleum Products! 🎉

While Christina may be new to this position, she's certainly not new to the MSCL team. With more than 22 years of dedicated service, Christina has built an impressive career through hard work, leadership, and an unwavering commitment to the MSCL. Throughout her journey, she has served in numerous roles, from Research Associate in the Pesticide Residue Laboratory all the way to Interim Director. She gained extensive experience across laboratory operations, regulatory compliance, quality systems, and personnel development.

Congratulations, Christina! We are grateful for your years of dedication and look forward to this exciting new chapter.

08/04/2026

Here's a wonderful opportunity to take advantage of!

We're still accepting resumes for our Fall MDAC Internship! This internship offers hands-on experience in several areas, including:
• Assisting with marketing and public affairs projects, including graphic design, content creation, and administrative support
• Helping with merchandising, setting up and day-to-day operations at the Genuine MS Store
• Supporting special events, promotions, and other agency initiatives
• Taking on a variety of projects while building valuable professional skills

This is a great opportunity to grow your creative and professional skills, strengthen your resume, and help promote Mississippi agriculture, businesses, and communities. The internship runs from September through November 2026.
Apply today!

For more information or to apply, contact Jenna Vowell at [email protected]

08/03/2026

Please join us in congratulating our REU student, Jayla Singleton, on presenting her research at the Mississippi State University Undergraduate Research Symposium!

Her research explored how maize plants respond to one of agriculture's most destructive pests, the fall army worm, by investigating the volatile compounds released after insect damage. Her research contributes to a better understanding of plant defense mechanisms and could help support future strategies for sustainable pest management.

We are incredibly proud of the work Jayla managed to complete this summer. The dedication, curiosity, and hard work she has shown throughout her stay at the MSCL has been nothing short of impressive.

Jayla, your time with the MSCL has come to an end but we hope to see you MARCH on 😉 (fall army worm reference... ok I'll see myself out)

07/16/2026

🦠 Your salad should be full of nutrition not surprise guests! 🦠

Recent headlines about parasites on fresh produce are an important reminder that food safety starts long before the first bite. While no single step can completely eliminate the risk of foodborne parasites, practicing good food safety habits can help reduce your risk and protect against many other foodborne hazards.

A few simple habits can make a big difference:
- Rinse fresh fruits and vegetables under clean, running water.
- Wash your hands before preparing or eating food.
- Use clean cutting boards, utensils, and preparation surfaces.

At the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, we know that science plays a vital role in protecting public health. From testing food, water, and agricultural products to providing reliable analytical services, we're proud to support safer communities through quality science and accurate testing.

06/01/2026

This week at the MSCL, our quality procedure training topic was document control. Side note: apparently "I saved it somewhere on my desktop" is not an approved record retention strategy.

Dr. Erika Womack Peoples created an amazing exercise for the group to refresh themselves on the importance of keeping procedures, forms, and records organized, controlled, and up to date. It may not be the flashiest part of laboratory operations, but when it comes to quality, traceability, and compliance, document control is the unsung hero working behind the scenes.

Remember: if there are five versions of a document floating around, the wrong one will always find you first. Stay organized, stay compliant, and may all your revisions be properly approved!

05/26/2026

Hey, so.... Did you know that if you removed all the empty space from the atoms in your body, your remaining mass could fit inside a single grain of salt?

Anyways. We hope you enjoyed your holiday and had a chance to honor those who have fallen 🦅

Make sure to follow our page closely, as we will spend the next month or two introducing our team!

05/12/2026

🎉 Happy Lab Week from the MSCL! 🧪🔬

Last week, we finished up strong celebrating the incredible people behind the science at the Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory. From analytical testing and research support to quality assurance and sample prep, our team works hard every day to provide accurate, reliable results that support agriculture, industry, public health, and research across Mississippi and beyond.

Our staff participated in the 2026 MSCL Lab Week Olympics featuring events like:

🏓 Beaker Pong
🧤 PPE Relay Race
🧪 Erlenmeyer Toss
🧠 Lab Trivia
🐾 Mystery Feed Sample Challenge

Thank you to our amazing staff for your dedication, teamwork, and passion for science. We appreciate everything you do to keep the lab running.

Please take the time to congratulate our winners!

05/04/2026

MSCL takes on Mobile!

Laboratory Analysts (Julie, Anna Beth, and Sara) and an MSU student (Elizabeth) were able to join Agilent Technologies in Mobile, AL for a very informative workshop.

The two-day workshop focused on key aspects of GC, HPLC, and MS. The workshop featured live demonstrations along with show-and-tell sessions. Agilent provided a closer look at tools, techniques, and workflows that can transform your day-to-day lab operations.

*The items pictured were display items and will not be used in future analytical work* 🤣