We recommend the following procedure:

• Packing and organization. The samples must be placed in sufficient dry ice to keep them frozen for 4 - 5 days. Thus, a box with 6 – 800 samples should contain about 10 kg of dye ice. The samples should be placed in 1-2 mL vials with a screw cap, and clearly labelled with serial numbers, printed (not hand-written) on a label, which tolerates freezing. They must be placed and immobilized in boxes accommodating 100 vials, and sorted in a sequence which matches an accompanying excel data sheet with serial number and additional unequivocal identification. This excel file must be send to us by e-mail (gry.kvalheim@farm.uib.no; per.ueland@ikb.uib.no) the day the parcel is dispatched.
  
  
• Sequence. The samples are analyzed in the sequence provided on the excel sheet and according to the organization of the vials in the boxes used for transportation. If you have special requirements for the sequence of the analyses (for example that samples from cases and controls should be analyzed together), you have to organize your samples accordingly.
  
  
• Information.
  On a separate page, please also provide information on:
  - the title of the project,
  - matrix (plasma or serum)
  - storage (duration and temperature)
  - freezing and thawing cycles (number)
  - sample volume (µL)
  - number of samples
  - vitamins and metabolites to be measured (platforms A-H)
  
  
• Value. The parcel must be marked with VALUE = 10 (USD or EURO), to avoid custom delay and extra cost.
  
  
• Currier. Samples should be transported by a competent currier on dry ice.
  For US and other overseas shipments we recommend WORLD COURIER, which allows dry ice and guarantees refilling of dry ice if required. The company has local representatives in Norway, takes care of all paperwork and thereby avoids that the parcel is upheld in the customs office. WORLD CURRIER is expensive, e.g. transportation of 1 item of 10 kg to/from USA costs about 1500€; 3 items about 2000 €.
  We have aslo used QUICK International for overseas shipment.
  For shipment within Europe we have used DHL, which after agreement allows dry ice, but does not refill ice; it is quick and not expensive The company has la ocal representative in Bergen.
  FedEx is slow, and all shipment from US and Europe goes to Paris. All parcels are transferred from Paris to the central post office in Oslo, causing one day extra delay. They allow, but do not refill dry ice. The tracing number can be followed through www.bring.no after the parcel has arrived Norway.
  
  
• Precautions. The parcel should preferably be dispatched on a Monday, to avoid over weekend delay. At the day of transportation, you must notify Beate Manger (beate.manger@farm.uib.no) and Gry Kvalheim (gry.kvalheim@farm.uib.no) about day of shipment and the actual AIR WAY BILL NUMBER. It is also recommended that you track your shipment during transportation, and notify us if anything goes wrong.

The parcel must be sent to:

Gry Kvalheim
BEVITAL, co/Helse Bergen
Laboratoriebygget, 9 etg.,
5021 Bergen, NORWAY