Frequently Asked
Questions

Cost & Payment F.A.Q.s

What are your prices?
  • Please contact us for pricing.  Let us know what tests you are interested and how many samples and at what frequency you will have.
What are your Payment Terms and what forms of payment do you accept?
  • Samples are as submitted by Customer; MBL will not invoice a third party unless agreed upon by MBL, at MBLs’ sole discretion.
  • Customer must have a valid credit card (VISA, MasterCard, Discover; American Express is not accepted) on file with MBL; this card will be charged immediately upon completion of analyses (per project or weekly invoice as dictated by MBL), unless credit terms have been granted.  Customers scheduling $500 or more per week in MBL tests and services must apply for credit terms to pay by check or be must be approved by MBL to pay via credit card on file.
  • MBL may extend credit to Customer based upon the findings of a credit or other reference check, and/or the history with Customer and/or its representatives.  Customer granted credit agrees: payment terms are Net 15 days; MBL will charge credit card on file for overdue balances; a late charge of 1.5% per month will be added to all unpaid balances; all current and/or ongoing work will be halted for accounts overdue by 30 days and no additional work will be accepted until the balance is paid in full; accounts delinquent 90 days will be scheduled for collections; Customer is responsible for collection and/or legal fees MBL incurs as a result of securing payments for invoices which are in default.
  • MBL reserves the right to collect prepayment from Customer; costs of analyses are as defined via our Pricelist and/or Quotations.  Additional charges, as assessed by MBL and agreed upon by Customer, may be applied for: sample preparation; rush and/or weekend analyses; sample collection and/or pick-up; consulting; time required to complete above and beyond Customer requests.

General Sample Submission F.A.Q.s

How long do you keep my samples & can I have them back?
  • Any repeat, additional, and/or confirmation analysis must be requested by the Customer within the retention time frame.
  • Repeat analysis performed at the Customers’ request will be charged to the Customer if the original results are confirmed.
  • To limit liability, samples submitted to MBL will not be returned to Customer because they have been stored in a facility which is known to have live pathogens.
  • Sample Retention Times (after reporting results) are as listed in the table below.
Sample Retention Times (After Reporting Results) are as Follows:
Qualitative Microbiology Negative Enrichments / Samples – Not Retained
Positive Enrichments / Samples – 24 Hours
Quantitative Microbiology 2 Business Days
Chemistry Analyses
How do I get my results?
  • Results are emailed to you from Test Results from MBL.
  • Results will NOT be faxed or mailed.
  • MBL will only report to a third-party at the consent of Customer.
  • For multiple recipients of results, we recommend establishing an internal distribution list whereby you can define and maintain such recipients (i.e. labresults@yourcompany.com).
How long does it take to get my results?
  • Our turnaround times are approximate, and do not include weekends or holidays for chemical and some microbiology analyses.
  • We will always try to begin analysis on the day we receive your samples.  However, samples submitted after 3 p.m. may be held until the next day.
  • General turnaround times are give below; faster reporting times may be arranged.
Microbiology1 to 3 days depending on analysis.
E. coli O157:H76 am T – F ; 7 am Sat and Sun
Chemistry5 to 10 days depending on analysis.
What is a Sample Description?
  • This is assigned by You, the Customer, to identify the name of samples submitted to MBL, as indicated on the Sample Submission Form.
  • You should describe your sample in a way which makes sense to you and is meaningful now and later when referring to your records.
  • Describing samples in a like and similar manner each time you submit the same type of sample can help you later in comparing data from one lot to another.

Sample Collection & Transportation F.A.Q.s

Do you offer sample pick-up?
  • Yes, when previously agreed upon.  Current customers email pick-up requests to requests@mb-labs.com.
  • When the Customer employs MBL to courier samples, MBL agree to do so in a manner which preserves the integrity of the sample(s).
Do you perform on-site sample collection?
  • Yes – Our trained staff is available to perform sampling at your or a third-party site.
  • Sample collection by MBL on behalf of the Customer will take place according to an appropriate Sampling Plan, selected and/or designed by MBL, which will be available to the Customer for reference.  MBL is not responsible for alterations made by the Customer to the larger portion from which MBL collected samples after such sample collection occurred; such alterations may invalidate reported results.
  • When the Customer employs MBL to collect and/or courier samples, MBL agree to do so in a manner which preserves the integrity of the sample(s) and the larger portion from which it was collected.
  • We can also, if needed, assist in training your staff in proper sample collection techniques and procedures.
How do I collect a representative sample?
  • There is no short answer to this question and it is best to discuss this with any regulatory body that you are dealing with and any associated regulatory program by which your are governed.
  • We can provide guidance and assistance with most of the common regulatory requirements and associated sampling protocols.
  • MBL will provide a result which is representative of the sample submitted; it is the responsibility of the Customer to ensure that the sample submitted is representative of the larger portion from which it was collected.