Mareesa Nicosia, mnicosia@lohud.com

SPRING VALLEY – A baggie of 'suspicious' white powder later identified as a harmless dietary protein mix prompted a hazmat team to convene briefly outside Spring Valley High School on Tuesday.

The Rockland County Hazmat Team and Spring Valley police were called to investigate a report of a small bag of white powder found near the side entrance of the school about 11:15 a.m., officials said.

A member of the East Ramapo security staff assigned to the building found the ripped sandwich bag and alerted authorities, district security director Tom Carton said.

The substance in the half-filled Ziploc bag was determined to be a protein supplement and was most likely dropped by a student on their way into school, Carton said.

"It never got inside the building," he said.

Carton and Spring Valley Police Sgt. Lou Scorziello said the individual who owned the bag was not identified.

Police and hazmat responders evaluated the substance at a makeshift exam site set up on the east side of the building as classes went on uninterrupted inside.

The side entrance was blocked for about an hour; students and staff were directed to use the main entrance that faces Route 59, Carton said.

Spring Valley High School is also a Primary Day polling station, but voting was not interrupted because voters normally use the main entrance, he said.

Election officials monitoring voters inside the gym said they weren't aware of the commotion on the opposite side of the building.

Twitter:@MareesaNicosia