FSC 8915

A-A-20294A

December 15, 2011

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20294

June 24, 1999

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

VEGETABLE BLENDS, FROZEN

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has authorized 

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers frozen vegetable blends, packed in commercially 

acceptable containers, suitable for use by the Federal, State, local governments and other 

interested parties.

2. PURCHASER NOTES.

2.1 Purchasers shall specify the following:

- Blend(s), agricultural practice(s), vegetable(s), designation(s), style(s), and flavor(s) of 

frozen vegetable blends required (Sec. 3).

- When analytical requirements are different than specified (Sec. 6.1).

- When analytical requirements need to be verified (Sec. 6.4).

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 9.3) or USDA certification (Sec. 9.4).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

- Food Defense Section 9.2: Food Defense System Survey (FDSS) (Sec. 9.1.1), or Food 

Defense Addendum to Plant Systems Audit (PSA) (Sec. 9.1.2), or (Sec. 9.1.2 with 9.2.1).

- Manufacturer’s quality assurance (Sec. 9.2 with 9.2.1) or (Sec. 9.2 with 9.2.2).

- Packaging requirements other than commercial (Sec. 10).

3. CLASSIFICATION. The frozen vegetable blends shall conform to the following list which 

shall be specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

METRIC
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Blends, agricultural practices, vegetables, designations, styles, and flavors.

Blend I - Two or more vegetable(s) packaged together

Blend II - Three way mix in accordance with the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Mixed 

Vegetables

Blend III - Four way mix in accordance with the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Mixed 

Vegetables

Blend IV - Five way mix in accordance with the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen Mixed 

Vegetables

Blend V - Other Blends (as specified by the purchaser)

Agricultural practice A - Conventional

Agricultural practice B - Organic (100 percent)

Vegetable 1 - Asparagus

Designation a - Spears or stalks

Designation b - Tips

Designation c - Cut spears or cuts and tips

Designation d - Center cuts or cuts

Vegetable 2 - Beans, green (round)

Designation a - Whole

Designation b - Cut or cuts

Designation c - Short cut or short cuts

Designation d - Mixed

Designation e - Sliced lengthwise or French style

Vegetable 3 - Beans, lima

Designation a - Thin-seeded

Designation b - Thick-seeded baby potato

Designation c - Thick-seeded

Vegetable 4 - Beans, Romano (flat) or Italian

Designation a - Whole

Designation b - Cut or cuts

Designation c - Short cut or short cuts

Designation d - Mixed

Vegetable 5 - Beans, wax

Designation a - Whole

Designation b - Cut or cuts
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Designation c - Short cut or short cuts

Designation d - Mixed

Designation e - Sliced lengthwise or French style

Vegetable 6 - Broccoli

Designation a - Spears or stalks

Designation b - Short spears or florets

Designation c - Cut

Designation d - Chopped

Designation e - Pieces or random cuts

Vegetable 7 - Brussels sprouts

Vegetable 8 - Carrot

Designation a - Whole or whole carrots

Designation b - Halves or halved

Designation c - Quarters or quartered

Designation d - Slices or sliced

Designation e - Dices

Designation f - Double-diced

Designation g - Strips

Designation h - Chips

Designation i - Cut

Designation j - “Baby” style

Vegetable 9 - Cauliflower

Designation a - Clusters

Designation b - Nuggets or small clusters

Vegetable 10 - Celery 

Vegetable 11 - Corn, sweet

Designation a - Whole-kernel, golden (or yellow)

Designation b - Whole-kernel, white

Designation c - Whole-kernel, bi-color (golden and white)

Designation d - Baby (4.5 - 10 cm [1.7 - 3.9 in] in length and 7 - 17 mm [2.8 - 6.7 in] in 

diameter)

Vegetable 12 - Edamame soybeans - shelled

Vegetable 13 - Mushroom 

Vegetable 14 - Onion

Designation a - Whole (20 - 48 mm [7/8 - 1-7/8 in] diameter

Designation b - Whole (10 - 20 mm [3/8 - 7/8 in] diameter
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Designation c - Strips

Designation d - Diced

Vegetable 15 - Onions, pearl

Vegetable 16 - Okra

Vegetable 17 - Peas, snow (Pisum sativum variety saccharatum)

Vegetable 18 - Peas, sugar snap Pisum sativum variety macrocarpon)

Vegetable 19 - Peas, garden (Pisum sativum)

Vegetable 20 - Potato, white or Irish

Designation a - Whole

Designation b - Sliced

Designation c - Diced

Designation d - Wedge

Vegetable 21 - Spinach

Designation a - Leaf

Designation b - Chopped

Vegetable 22 - Squash (summer), green

Designation a - Sliced

Designation b - Cut

Vegetable 23 - Squash (summer), yellow

Designation a - Sliced

Designation b - Cut

Vegetable 24 - Sweet pepper, green

Designation a - Whole stemmed

Designation b - Whole unstemmed

Designation c - Halved

Designation d - Sliced

Designation e - Diced

Vegetable 25 - Sweet pepper, red

Designation a - Whole stemmed

Designation b - Whole unstemmed

Designation c - Halved

Designation d - Sliced

Designation e - Diced
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Vegetable 26 - Sweet pepper, yellow

Designation a - Whole stemmed

Designation b - Whole unstemmed

Designation c - Halved

Designation d - Sliced

Designation e - Diced

Vegetable 27 - Turnip

Designation a - Whole

Designation b - Sliced

Designation c - Cut or chopped

Vegetable 28 - Water Chestnut

Vegetable 29 - Other

Style (1) - No added salt (21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §101.61) 1/

Style (2) - Low sodium (21 CFR §101.61)

Style (3) - Sauce

Flavor (a) - Butter 

Flavor (b) - Cheese

Flavor (c) - Herb

Flavor (d) - Garlic

Flavor (e) - Other

Style (4) - Herbs (as specified by purchaser)

Style (5) - Pasta (as specified by the purchaser)

Style (6) - Rice

Style (7) - Quinoa

Style (8) - Dried beans (black, red kidney, small white, etc.) (as specified by purchaser)

Style (9) - Fruit (as specified by the purchaser)

Style (10) - Other

1/ “No Salt Added” and “Unsalted” must meet conditions of use and must declare “This Is Not 

A Sodium Free Food” on the information panel if food is not “Sodium Free.”

4. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S NOTES. Manufacturer’s/distributor’s 

products shall meet the requirements of the:

- Salient characteristics (Sec. 5).

- Analytical requirements: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 6).

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s product assurance (Sec. 7).
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- Regulatory requirements (Sec. 8).

- Quality assurance provisions: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 9).

- Packaging requirements other than commercial: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 10).

5. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

5.1 Processing. The frozen vegetable blends shall be prepared in accordance with current Good 

Manufacturing Practices (21 CFR Part 110).

5.2 Food Security. The frozen vegetable blends should be processed and transported in 

accordance to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Guidance for Industry: Food 

Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance. 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/Foo

dDefenseandEmergencyResponse/ucm083075.htm. This guidance identifies the kinds of 

preventive measures operators of food establishments may take to minimize the risk that food 

under their control will be subject to tampering or other malicious, criminal, or terrorist actions. 

The implementation of enhanced food security preventive measures provides for the security of a 

plant’s production processes and includes the storage and transportation of pre-production raw 

materials, other ingredients and postproduction finished product.

5.3 Ingredients. The frozen vegetable blends shall be prepared and blanched from clean, sound, 

mature vegetables, which are frozen and maintained at a temperature necessary for preservation 

of the product. Peas shall conform to U.S. FDA standards of identity for frozen peas 21 CFR §

158.170. Unless otherwise stated in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, those individual 

frozen vegetables used in the frozen vegetable blend that have a U.S. Grade Standard shall be 

equivalent to U.S. Grade A. Peas, whole kernel corn, and cauliflower shall be equivalent to U.S. 

Grade A except for maturity, which shall be U.S. Grade B or better.

5.4 Finished product.

5.4.1 Flavor and odor. The frozen vegetable blends shall have characteristic flavors and odors 

of the vegetables in the blend.

5.4.2 Color. Each type of vegetable shall possess normal color-characteristic of each vegetable 

in the blend.

5.4.3 Texture/Maturity. Each type of vegetable shall be harvested at appropriate maturity with 

good texture. Peas, whole kernel corn, and cauliflower shall be reasonably tender.
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5.4.4 Defects. Each type of vegetable shall be reasonably free from, but not limited to peels, 

stems, eyes, discoloration, damaged units, wilting, bruising, cuts, fuzziness, riciness, mold, 

fibrous, woody, and cob material.

5.4.5 Foreign material. The frozen vegetable blends shall be free from foreign material such 

as, but not limited to, stones, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, glass, plastics or metal. The frozen 

vegetable blends shall conform to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, and applicable 

State laws and regulations.

5.4.6 Temperature: Unless otherwise stated in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, 

storage and delivery temperatures shall be -17.8°C (0°F). 

5.5 Organic frozen vegetable blends. When organic frozen vegetable blends are specified in 

the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the produce shall be grown following organic 

agricultural practices and processed in accordance with the requirements of the National Organic 

Program (7 CFR Part 205). A certificate of organic operation shall be provided to verify that the 

product was produced and processed in accordance with the National Organic Program 

requirements. The use of the term “100 percent organic,” “organic,” and “made with organic 

(specified ingredients or food group(s))” shall comply with the product composition requirements 

as listed in 7 CFR § 205.301. Non-synthetic and synthetic substances allowed in organic 

handling are listed in 7 CFR § 205.605, National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.

6. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

6.1 Analytical requirements. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the analytical requirements for the frozen vegetable blends shall be as follows.

Test Tolerance

Staph. aureus Shall be negative

E. coli/Coliforms Less than 3 per gram using Most Probable Number 

(MPN) technique or less than 10 Colony Forming

Units (CFU)

Salt Shall not exceed designation specified by purchaser

Yeast and mold Less than 100 CFU per g

6.2 Product Verification. When USDA verification of analytical requirements is specified in 

the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, analytical testing shall be performed on a composite 
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sample. The composite sample shall be 227 g (8 oz) prepared from five randomly selected 

subsamples. Subsamples shall be a minimum of one container and shall contain the appropriate 

number of containers to yield a 227 g (8 oz) sample when composited.

6.3 Analytical testing. When specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, analyses 

shall be in made accordance with the following methods from the Official Methods of Analysis 

of the AOAC International.

Test Method

E.coli/Coliforms 991.14

Staph. aureus 987.09 or 2001.05

Salt 937.09, 971.27 or 935.47

Yeast and Mold 997.02

6.4 Test results. The test results for E. coli/coliforms and Staph. aureus shall be reported to the 

nearest MPN per g or to the nearest CFU per g. The test results for yeast and mold shall be 

reported to the nearest CFU per g. The test results for salt shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 

percent. Any result not conforming to the analytical testing shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

7. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S PRODUCT ASSURANCE. The manufacturer/ 

distributor shall certify that the frozen vegetable blends provided shall meet the salient 

characteristics of this CID, conform to their own specifications, standards, and quality assurance 

practices, and be the same frozen vegetable blends offered for sale in the commercial market. 

The purchaser reserves the right to require proof of conformance.

8. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered frozen vegetable blends shall comply 

with all applicable Federal, State, and local mandatory requirements and regulations relating to 

the preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of frozen vegetable blends 

within the commercial marketplace. Delivered frozen vegetable blends shall comply with all 

applicable provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; the Fair Packaging and 

Labeling Act; and regulations promulgated thereunder. The frozen vegetable blends shall 

comply with the allergen labeling requirement of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser shall specify 9.3 or 9.4; purchaser 

may specify 9.1 with 9.2.1, or 9.1 with 9.2.2, or 9.2 with 9.2.1, or 9.2 with 9.2.2.
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9.1 Food Defense. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a Food 

Defense System Survey (FDSS) shall be conducted by USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS), Processed Products Division (PPD). Food Defense requirements include a documented 

and operational food defense plan that provides for the security of a plant’s production processes 

and includes the storage and transportation of pre-production raw materials and other ingredients 

and post-production finished product. The plan shall address the following areas: (1) food 

security plan management; (2) outside and inside security of the production and storage facilities; 

(3) slaughter, when applicable, and processing, including all raw material sources; (4) shipping 

and receiving; (5) storage; (6) water and ice supply; (7) mail handling; (8) personnel security; and 

(9) transportation, shipping, and receiving.

9.1.1 FDSS. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a FDSS shall be 

conducted by USDA, AMS, FV, PPD. The FDSS verifies that operators of food establishments 

have implemented measures to minimize the risk of tampering or other criminal actions against 

the food under their control. (An AMS, FDSS verifies the participating company’s adherence to 

the FDA’s “Guidance for Industry - Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food 

Security Preventive Measures Guidance.”) For further information, see section 12.1 and 12.3.2.

9.1.2 Food Defense Addendum to Plant Systems Audit (PSA). When required in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a Food Defense addendum to a PSA audit shall be 

conducted by USDA, AMS, FV, PPD auditors. This verifies that operators of food 

establishments have implemented measures to minimize the risk of tampering or other criminal 

actions against the food under their control. (An AMS, FDSS verifies the participating 

company’s adherence to the FDA’s “Guidance for Industry - Food Producers, Processors, and 

Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance.”) For further information, see 

section 12.1 and 12.3.2.

9.2 Manufacturer’s quality assurance. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order, the product manufacturer shall be required to provide evidence, by certificate, that the 

manufacturing plant has undertaken one of the following quality assurance measures within 12 

months prior to providing a bid, or no later than 10 business days from the date of awarding of 

the contract. Failure to provide this documentation within the proper time frame may result in 

the contract being terminated for cause.

9.2.1 Plant systems audit. A plant systems audit (PSA) conducted by USDA, AMS, or other 

audit performed by a third party auditing service is required within 12 months prior to the date of 

the awarding of the contract. (An AMS PSA verifies the manufacturer's capability to produce 

products in a clean sanitary environment in accordance with 21 CFR Part 110 - Current Good 

Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food, and verifies that 

the manufacturer has in place an internal quality assurance program.)
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9.2.2 Plant survey. A plant survey conducted by USDA, AMS, or other survey performed by a 

third party auditing service is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the 

contract. (An AMS plant survey audit verifies that at the time of the survey, the manufacturer 

produces products in a clean sanitary environment in accordance with 21 CFR Part 110 -

Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food.)

9.3 Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor will certify that the finished frozen vegetable blends

distributed meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID.

9.4 USDA certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order that 

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the PPD, Fruit and Vegetable Programs 

(FV), AMS, USDA, shall be the certifying program. PPD inspectors shall certify the quality and 

acceptability of the frozen vegetable blends in accordance with PPD procedures which include 

selecting random samples of the packaged frozen vegetable blends, evaluating the samples for 

conformance with the salient characteristics of this CID and other contractual requirements, and 

documenting the findings on official PPD score sheets and/or certificates. In addition, when 

required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, PPD inspectors will examine the frozen 

vegetable blends for conformance to the United States Standards for Condition of Food 

Containers in effect on the date of the solicitation.

10. PACKAGING. Preservation, packaging, packing, labeling, and case marking shall be 

commercial unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

11. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 9.4 is specified in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, USDA certification shall include evaluation of the quality and 

condition of samples of packaged frozen vegetable blends, and compliance with 

requirements in the following areas:

- Salient characteristics (Sec. 5).

- Analytical requirements when specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order 

(Sec. 6.1). When USDA analytical testing is specified, PPD inspection personnel shall

select samples and submit them to the USDA, Science and Technology Programs (S&TP) 

laboratory for analysis.

- Packaging requirements (Sec. 10 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order).

12. REFERENCE NOTES.
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12.1 PPD certification, Plant Survey, PSA, and FDSS. For PPD certification, Plant Survey, 

PSA, and FDSS, contact the Chief, Inspection and Standardization Branch, PPD, FV, AMS, 

USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, 

telephone (202) 720-4693, Fax (202) 690-1527, or via E-mail: albert.hoover@ams.usda.gov

or chere.shorter@ams.usda.gov.

12.2 Analytical testing and technical information contact. For USDA technical information 

on analytical testing, contact the Technical Service Staff, S&TP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0272, 

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0272, telephone (202) 690-0621, 

or via E-mail: shirleyj.wright@ams.usda.gov.

12.3 Sources of documents.

12.3.1 Sources of information for nongovernmental documents are as follows:

Copies of the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International may be obtained from: 

AOAC International, 481 North Frederick Avenue, Suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, 

telephone (301) 924-7077 or on the Internet at: http://www.aoac.org.

12.3.2 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows:

Applicable provisions of the National Organic Program are contained in 7 CFR Part 205, the Fair 

Packaging and Labeling Act are contained in 16 CFR Parts 500 to 503, and the Federal Food, 

Drug, and Cosmetic Act are contained in 21 CFR Parts 1 to 199. These documents may be 

purchased from: Superintendent of Documents, New Orders, P.O. Box 979050 St. Louis, 

MO 63197-9000. Credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover/NOVUS, and American 

Express) purchases may be made by calling the Superintendent of Documents on (866) 512-

1800, (202) 512-1800 or on the Internet at: 

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/browse/collectionCfr.action?collectionCode=CFR.

Copies of Guidance for Industry - Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security 

Preventive Measures Guidance is available from: FDA, Center for Food Safety and Applied 

Nutrition (CFSAN) on the Internet at: 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocument

s/FoodDefenseandEmergencyResponse/ucm083075.htm.
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Copies of the U.S. Grade Standards for Frozen Asparagus, Green and Wax Beans, Lima Beans, 

Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Corn, Okra, Peas, Sweet Peppers,

Turnip Greens with Turnips, and Mixed Vegetables are available from: Director, PPD, FV, 

AMS, USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, 

telephone (202) 720-4693, Fax (202) 690-1527, or on the Internet at: 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/processedinspection.

Copies of this CID, the United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers, and beneficial 

comments, recommendations, additions, deletions, clarifications, etc. and any data which may

improve this CID are available from and/or provided to: Director, PPD, FV, AMS, USDA, 

STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, telephone 

(202) 720-9939, Fax (202) 690-1527, via E-mail: FQAStaff@ams.usda.gov or on the 

Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/FQAS.

CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

DOJ - BOP

HHS - NIH, IHS, FDA

USDA - FV

VA - OSS

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

USDA - FV

"The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all of its programs and activities on the 

basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental 

status, religion, sexual orientation, political beliefs, genetic information, reprisal, or because all or part of an 

individual's income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large 

print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD)."

To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, Office of the Assistant 

Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Stop 9410, Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call tollfree at (866) 632-9992 (English) or (800) 877-8339 (TDD) or (866) 377-8642 (English Federal-relay) or (800) 845-

6136 (Spanish Federal-relay). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.