METRIC 

A-A-20357 

November 6, 2008 

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION 

BUTTERY SPREADS 

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID). 

1. SCOPE. This CID covers buttery spreads, packed in commercially acceptable containers 

suitable for use by Federal, State, local governments, and other interested parties. 

2. PROCUREMENT NOTES. 

2.1 Purchasers shall specify the following: 

- Type(s), style(s), and size(s) of buttery spreads required (Sec. 3). 

- When analytical requirements are different than specified (Sec. 7.1). 

- When analytical requirements need to be verified (Sec. 7.2). 

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 11.2) or USDA certification (Sec. 11.3). 

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following: 

- When the dairy components of the buttery spreads are to be graded or inspected by the 

Dairy Grading Branch (DGB), Dairy Programs (DP), Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS), USDA (Sec. 10). 

- Manufacturer’s quality assurance (Sec 11.1 with 11.1.1) or (Sec 11.1 with 11.1.2). 

- Packaging requirements other than commercial (Sec. 12). 

3. CLASSIFICATION. The buttery spreads shall conform to the following list which shall be 

specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. 

Types, styles, and sizes 

Type I - Regular 

Type II - Light (21CFR §101.56) 

Type III - Fat-free (21 CFR §101.62) 

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Type IV - Trans-fat (as specified on label) 

Type V - Specialty Buttery Spreads 

Type VI - Other (as specified by purchaser) 

Style A - Tub 

Style B - Stick 

Style C - Squeeze 

Style D - Portion Packs 

Style E - Spray 

Style F - Other (as specified by purchaser) 

Size 1 - Retail 

Size 2 - Foodservice/Institutional 

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

products shall meet the requirements of the: 

- Salient characteristics (Sec. 6). 

- Analytical requirements: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 7). 

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

- Regulatory requirements (Sec. 9). 

- Quality assurance provisions: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 11). 

- Packaging requirements other than commercial: as specified by the purchaser (Sec.12). 

5. DEFINITIONS. 

5.1 Buttery Spreads. A soft spread made from liquid vegetable oils with 5 percent or less 

butter or butter flavor (natural and/or artificial), containing up to 5 g or less of saturated fat per 

tablespoon serving and no more than a trace amount of cholesterol. 

5.2 Light. In accordance with 21 CFR§101.56, if 50 percent or more of the calories are from 

fat, its fat must be reduced by at least 50 percent per reference amount customarily consumed. If 

less than 50 percent of calories are from fat, its fat must be reduced at least 50 percent or calories 

reduced at least 1/3 per reference amount customarily consumed. 1/ 

5.3 Fat-free. In accordance with 21 CFR §101.62, the fat content shall be less than 0.5 g per 

reference amount customarily consumed and shall be less than 0.5 g per labeled serving. Transfat content shall be reflected on the product nutrition fact panel. 1/ 

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5.4 Trans-fat. The amount of trans-fat shall be reflected in the nutritional facts panel. Products 

with less than 0.5 g per labeled serving may be listed as 0 g trans-fat. Manufacturers may make 

factual claims such as, “zero” grams of trans-fat on labels. 

5.5 Specialty buttery spreads. Specialty buttery spreads are fortified with plant sterol esters, 

plant stanol esters, omega 3 fatty acids, flax seed oil, fish oil, or other nutrients designed to 

control cholesterol. 

1/ The reference amounts customarily consumed (RACC) for butter is 1 Tbsp according to 21 

CRF §101.12. 

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS. 

6.1 Processing. The buttery spreads shall be prepared in accordance with FDA Current Good 

Manufacturing Practices (21 CFR Part 110). 

6.2 Ingredients. 

6.2.1 Buttery spread ingredients. The buttery spreads shall contain vegetable oils such as but 

not limited to (soybean, canola, sunflower, palm, corn and olive oil). If peanut oil is used for 

processing of buttery spreads, the labels’ ingredient statement or principal display panel shall 

show warning “Contains peanuts may cause allergic reactions.” The buttery spreads shall 

contain one or more of the following aqueous ingredients: water, milk, or milk products (21 CFR 

§ 166.110). Buttery spreads Type V shall contain plant sterol esters, plant stanol esters, omega 3 

fatty acids, flax seed oil, fish oil, or other nutrients designed to control cholesterol. The buttery 

spreads may contain 5 percent or less butter or butter flavor, salt, emulsifiers, food colors, 

artificial flavor, antioxidants, and preservatives. 

6.2.2 Dairy ingredients. The nonfat dry milk shall meet the U.S. Standard for Extra Grade as 

defined in the United States Standards for Grades of Nonfat Dry Milk (Spray Process) and shall 

be no more than 9 months old. The dry whey shall meet the U.S. Standard for Extra Grade as 

defined in the United States Standards for Dry Whey and shall be no more than 9 months old. 

Buttermilk power shall meet the U.S. Standard for Extra Grade as defined in the United States 

Standards for Grades of Dry Buttermilk and Dry Buttermilk Products. Liquid dairy ingredients 

shall meet the requirements in the USDA Commercial Item Description most recent version of 

Milks, Fluid, A-A-20338. 

6.3 Finished product. 

6.3.1 Appearance and color. Buttery spread Styles A, B, C, and D shall be a yellow to cream 

color with a smooth spreadable texture with minimal oil separation. Buttery spread Style E shall 

be dispersed from a pressurized container in the form of fine particles of a liquid. 

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6.3.2 Flavor and odor. The buttery spreads shall have a buttery flavor and aroma and free from 

foreign flavors and rancid, sour and off odors. 

6.3.3. Storage temperature. The buttery spreads shall be stored at temperatures less than 10 C 

(50

F). A typically range is 5 - 5.5C (41 - 42F). 

6.3.4 Shelf life. The buttery spreads shall have a minimum shelf life of 4 months up to a 

maximum of 6 months. 

6.3.5 Foreign material. All ingredients shall be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from 

evidence of rodent or insect infestation. The buttery spreads shall be free of foreign material, 

such as, but not limited to, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, glass, or metal. 

7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS. 

7.1 Analytical and microbial requirements. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, the analytical and microbial requirements for the buttery spreads 

shall be as follows: 

TABLE I. Analytical requirements 

Test Tolerance 

Fat 

Type I 

Type II 

Type III 

±2 percentage units of target (as specified on label) 

21 CFR § 101.56 

21 CFR § 101.62 

Sodium ±2 percentage units of target (as specified on label) 

Moisture ±2 percentage units of target (correlate with 

percent fat and sodium) 

Serum pH ±2 pH units (pH 3.5 – 6.5) 

. 

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TABLE II. Microbial requirements 

Test Tolerance 

Listeria 

monocytogenes 

Negative 

Salmonella Negative 

E.coli Less than 10 Colony Forming Unit (CFU) or less than 3 per g 

using MPN technique (Most Probable Number) 2/ 

Coagulase positive 

Staph. aureus 

Less than 10 per g 

Yeast and Mold Less than 10 CFU per g 

Coliform Less than 10 CFU per g 

Total Plate Count Less than 1000 CFU 

2/ Findings indicate zero colonies (CFU) per plate or zero tubes producing gas for MPN. 

7.2 Product verification. When USDA verification of analytical requirements are specified in 

the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the following procedures will be followed. The 

analytical and microbiological testing shall be performed on a composite sample. The composite 

sample shall be 454 g (16 oz) prepared from randomly selected subsamples. The subsamples 

shall be a minimum of one tub, stick, squeeze container, portion packs or spray necessary to yield 

a 454 g (16 oz) sample when composited. 

7.3 Test portion size. The test portions shall be derived from the composite sample specified in 

Sec. 7.2. The test portion size for testing Salmonella and Staph.aureus shall be 25 g (0.88 oz). 

The test portion size for testing E.coli and Listeria monocytogens shall be 50 g (1.76 oz). 

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

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

Analysis of the AOAC International: 

Test 

Fat 

Sodium 

Moisture 

Serum pH 

Listeria monocytogenes 

Salmonella 

Staph. aureus 

E.coli 

Yeast and Mold 

Method 

920.85, 932.06, 933.05 or 985.15 

985.35 or 984.27 

920.116 or 926.12 

981.12 

2003.12 or 2004.02 

986.35, 2003.09 or 2004.03 

987.09 or 2003.07 

966.24, 991.14, 992.30, or 2000.15 

997.02 

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Test Method 

Coliform 989.10, 991.14, 996.02, or 2000.15 

Total Plate Count 966.23, 986.32, 988.18, or 990.12 

7.5 Test results. The test results for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella, shall be reported 

as positive or negative. The test results for E.coli shall be reported to the nearest CFU or MPN. 

The test results for Yeast and Mold, Coliform, and Total Plate Count shall be reported to the 

nearest CFU. The test result for coagulase positive Staph. aureus shall be reported as the number 

of coagulase positive Staph. aureus per gram. The test result for fat, sodium, moisture and serum 

pH shall be reported in accordance with section 7.1. Any results not conforming to the microbial 

requirements shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

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

distributor shall certify that the buttery spreads provided shall meet the salient characteristics of 

this CID, conform to their own specifications, standards, and quality assurance practices, and be 

the same buttery spreads offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the 

right to require proof of conformance. 

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. 

9.1 Regulatory requirements. The delivered buttery spreads shall comply with all applicable 

Federal and State mandatory requirements and regulations relating to the preparation, packaging, 

labeling, storage, distribution and sales of the buttery spread in the commercial marketplace. 

Delivered buttery spreads 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 delivered buttery spreads shall comply with the allergen labeling requirements of the Federal 

Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. 

9.2 Dairy ingredients. The dairy ingredients used in the buttery spreads shall comply with all 

applicable requirements of the “Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance - 2003 Recommendations 

of the United States Public Health Service” or latest revision thereof, or regulations substantially 

equivalent thereto. 

10. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR THE DAIRY COMPONENTS. 

Purchaser shall specify in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order when the following 

provisions shall be met. 

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

purchaser order, the dairy component manufacturer shall be required to have their facilities 

inspected by the DGB, DP, AMS, USDA, and be eligible for listing in Section I of the DGB 

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publication “Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service.” (An DGB plant 

survey verifies that, at the time of the survey, the manufacturer produces products in a clean, 

sanitary environment and satisfactorily meet the requirements contained in 7 CFR Part 58 

General Specification for Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service and 

21 CFR Part 110 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or 

Holding Human Food.) 

10.2 USDA, DP certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, 

the DGB, DP, AMS, USDA, shall certify that the dairy components used for the manufacturing 

of buttery spreads meets or exceeds the requirements of the U.S. Standard for Extra Grade as 

defined in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Nonfat Dry Milk (Spray Process) and meet or 

exceeds the requirements of the U.S. Standard for Extra Grade as defined in the U.S. Standards 

for Grades of Dry Whey. The DGB inspectors shall certify the dairy components in accordance 

with DGB procedures which include random sampling of the dairy components; evaluating the 

samples for conformance with the appropriate U.S. Standards for Grade, USDA Specifications, 

and/or CID; and documenting the requirements on official DGB certificates. 

11. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser shall specify 11.2 or 11.3; 

purchaser may specify 11.1 with 11.1.1 or 11.1 with 11.1.2. 

11.1 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. 

11.1.1 Plant systems audit. A plant systems audit (PSA) conducted by USDA/Federal Grain 

Inspection Service (FGIS), USDA/AMS, or another audit preformed by a third party auditing 

service, and is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the contract. (A 

FGIS or AMS PSA verifies the manufacturer's capability to produce products in a clean, sanitary 

environment in accordance with Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 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. The FGIS or AMS PSA 

determines the manufacturer's ability to produce under this CID, if the products of interest are 

identified at the time of the PSA.) 

11.1.2 Plant survey. A plant survey shall be conducted by USDA/FGIS or USDA/AMS/DGB 

and is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the contract. (A FGIS or 

AMS plant survey verifies that, at the time of the survey, the manufacturer produces products in 

a 

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clean, sanitary environment in accordance with 21 CFR 110 - Current Good Manufacturing 

Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food Regulations.) 

11.2 Manufacturer's/distributor's certification. When required in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor will certify that the finished buttery spreads 

distributed meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID. 

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, USDA/FGIS or USDA/AMS (depending 

on ingredients) shall be the certifying program. The agency inspectors shall certify the quality 

and acceptability of the buttery spreads in accordance with agency procedures which include 

selecting random samples of the buttery spreads, evaluating the samples for conformance with 

the salient characteristics of this CID and other contractual requirements, and documenting the 

findings on official score sheets and/or certificates. In addition, when required in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, agency inspectors will examine the buttery spreads for conformance 

to the United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers in effect on the date of the 

solicitation. 

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

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

13. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 11.3 is specified in the solicitation, 

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

condition of samples of packaged buttery spreads, and compliance with requirements in 

the following areas: 

- Salient characteristics (Sec.6). 

- Analytical/microbiological requirements when specified in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order (Sec. 7.1). When USDA analytical testing is specified, FGIS or AMS 

inspection personnel shall select samples and submit them to the USDA, FGIS or AMS 

laboratory for analysis. 

- Packaging requirements (Sec. 11 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order). 

14. REFERENCE NOTES. 

14.1 USDA certification contacts. 

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14.1.1 Federal Grain Inspection Service. For USDA, FGIS certification, contact the Policy 

and Procedures Branch, Field Management Division, Grain Inspection, Packers and 

Stockyards Administration (GIPSA), STOP 3632, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-3632, telephone (202) 720-0252, Fax (202) 720-1015, or via E-mail: 

HenryC.Greenwood@usda.gov. 

14.1.2 Dairy Grading Branch. For USDA, AMS certification, contact the Branch Chief, 

Dairy Grading Branch, DP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0230, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-0230 telephone (202) 720-3171 or on the Internet at: 

www.ams.usda.gov/dairygrading/. 

14.2 Analytical testing and technical information contacts. 

14.2.1 For USDA, FGIS technical information on analytical testing, contact the GIPSA, FGIS, 

Technical Service Division, Analytical, Reference, and Testing Branch, FGIS Technical 

Center, 10383 North Ambassador Drive, Kansas City, MO 64153-1394, telephone (816) 

891-0452, or via E-mail: Luke.A.Shoker@usda.gov. For USDA, FGIS technical information 

contact: Policy and Procedures Branch, FGIS, GIPSA, USDA, STOP 3632, Washington, 

DC 20250-3632, telephone (202) 720-1732, Fax (202) 720-1015. 

14.2.2 Agricultural Marketing Service. For USDA, AMS technical information on analytical 

testing, contact the Branch Chief, Technical Service Branch, S&TP, AMS, USDA, STOP 

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

0621, or via E-mail: shirleyj.wright@usda.gov. 

14.3 Sources of documents. 

14.3.1 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. 

National Association of Margarine Manufacturers, contact Todd Philbrick, 1156 Fifteen Street 

NW., Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005, telephone (202) 785-3232, fax (202)223-9741, or via 

E-mail: NAMM@kellencompany.com. 

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14.3.2 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows: 

Applicable provision of: 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 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. 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.gpoaccess.gov/nara/index.html. 

Copies of “Grade A Pasteurized Milk Ordinance - 2003 Recommendations of the United States 

Public Health Service” may be obtained from: Milk Safety Team (HFS-626), Food and Drug 

Administration, 200 C Street, SW, Washington, DC 20204 or on the Internet at 

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~ear/p-nci.html. 

Copies of the Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service, U.S. Standards 

for Grades of Nonfat Dry Milk (Spray Process), and U.S. Standards for Grades of Dry Whey are 

available from: Standardization Branch, Dairy Programs, Agricultural Marketing Service, 

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 2746-South Building, Stop Code 0230, 1400 

Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-0230. Telephone: (202) 720-7473. 

FAX (202) 720-2643 or on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/grade. 

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

available from: Branch Chief, PPB, FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence 

Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, telephone (202) 720- 9939, Fax (202) 690-1527, via 

E-mail: FQAStaff@usda.gov or on the Internet at: www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fvqual.htm. 

Military activities should submit requests for copies of this CID to: Standardization 

Documents Order Desk, Document Automation and Production Service, 700 Robbins 

Avenue, Building 4D, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094 or on the Internet at: 

http://assist.daps.dla.mil/quickserch/. 

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MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES: 

Military Coordinating Activity DOJ - BOP 

HHS - NIH, FDA 

Army - GL USDA - FV 

VA - OSS 

Custodians 

Army - GL PREPARING ACTIVITY: 

Navy - SA 

Air Force - 35 USDA - FV 

Review Activities 

Army - MD, QM 

Navy - MC 

DLA - SS 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all 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, genetic information, political beliefs, 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, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., 

Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider and employer. 

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