LIMESTONE – It will be at least Monday before the mysterious orange powder found on a packing-tape dispenser sent to the Defense Finance and Accounting Service will be identified.

Vernon Ouellette, head of the Aroostook County Emergency Management Agency, said Friday that he had spoken with officials with the National Guard 11th Civil Support Team, which responded to the incident, and was told not to expect any conclusion before Monday.

The discovery late Wednesday afternoon of the powder in a FedEx envelope shipped to DFAS from Dyess Air Force Base in Texas prompted a hazardous-materials response from 23 local, county, state and federal agencies, including the National Guard unit based in Waterville.

The package contained routine invoices and vouchers.

Close to 80 DFAS employees were quarantined for 11 hours while the powder was examined for possible chemical or biological hazards.

At least half of those people had undergone precautionary decontamination showers and medical examinations by 2 a.m. Thursday when it was determined that the substance did not pose a health threat.