What must be ensured for the specimen regarding its seal?

For specimen integrity, having a fully intact seal is crucial. This ensures that the specimen is protected from contamination and maintains its sterility and viability for accurate testing. An intact seal prevents any external factors, such as environmental contaminants or cross-contamination from other samples, from affecting the specimen, which could lead to incorrect results.

While the other options relate to aspects of specimen management, they do not address the critical nature of the seal itself. Ensuring that the seal is unbroken is a primary concern before any additional handling or storage considerations, such as temperature control, can be effectively implemented. Thus, the integrity of the seal is foundational to the reliability of the testing outcomes.