AMSC N/A FSC 8950

A-A-20259C

May 3, 2016

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20259B

October 4, 2010

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

PICANTE SAUCE

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers picante sauce, packed in commercially acceptable containers, 

suitable for use by Federal, State, local governments, and other interested parties; and as a 

component of operational rations. Please note: This document does not guarantee purchase 

of this item by USDA.1

2. PURCHASER NOTES.

2.1 Purchasers must specify the following:

- Type(s) of picante sauce required (Sec. 3).

- When age requirements are different than specified (Sec. 6.2.3).

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

- When analytical requirements need to be verified (Sec. 7.5).

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 10.3) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.4).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

- Define pungency requirements through a bid sample (Sec. 7.2).

- Food Defense (Sec. 10.1) and Manufacturer’s Quality Assurance (Sec. 10.2). Purchaser 

may specify one of the following combinations: Sec. 10.1.1 with 10.2.1 or 10.1.2 with 

10.2.2.

- Packaging requirements other than commercial (Sec. 11).

3. CLASSIFICATION. The picante sauce must conform to the following list which must be 

specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

 1 USDA purchase specifications are available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/product-specs.

METRIC
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Types.

Type I - Mild

Type II - Medium

Type III - Hot

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

products must meet the requirements of the:

- Processing guidelines (Sec. 5).

- 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. 10).

- Packaging requirements other than commercial: as specified by the purchaser (Sec. 11).

5. PROCESSING GUIDELINES.

5.1 Processing. The picante sauce must be processed in accordance with Current Good 

Manufacturing Practices (21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 110).

5.2 Food defense. The picante sauce must be processed and transported in accordance with the 

Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Guidance for Industry: Food Producers, Processors, 

and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance.

2 This guidance identifies the 

kinds of preventive measures food manufacturers, processors, or handlers 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 defense 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 post-production finished product.

5.3 Age requirement. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order, the picante sauce must be manufactured not more than 90 days prior to delivery to the 

purchaser. Age requirements for Department of Defense (DoD) procurements must be specified

in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

6.1 Ingredients. All ingredients must be declared by their common or usual name in 

descending order of predominance by weight (21 CFR § 101.4(a)) unless exempted by 21 CFR § 

101.100. The picante sauce must be produced from tomato products (tomato puree, diced and/or 

 2 http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/FoodDefense/ucm083075.htm.
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crushed tomatoes, and tomato paste), water, jalapeño peppers, onions or dehydrated onions, 

vinegar, salt, dehydrated jalapeño peppers, dehydrated garlic, and/or other natural flavorings, 

spices, and thickening ingredients. The picante sauce may contain preservatives, and acidulants

may be included to adjust the pH of the sauce. When used, all ingredients must meet the 

standards specified in the Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) or, in the absence of FCC specification 

at a minimum, meet the specifications for quality set by the US Pharmacopeia (USP)-National 

Formulary quality. The additional ingredients must meet the FDA regulations on Food Additives 

(21 CFR Part 170) or Direct Food Substances Affirmed as Generally Recognized as Safe 

(GRAS) requirements (21 CFR Part 184).

6.2 Finished product.

6.2.1 Appearance. The picante sauce must have a red to brownish red color. The picante sauce 

must be of a diced vegetable size up to 1.27 cm (1/2 in) in diameter. There must be no excess 

liquid media or severe weeping of product.

6.2.2 Flavor and odor. The picante sauce must have a pungent odor and well balanced peppery 

and tomato flavor. The picante sauce must be free from objectionable flavors and odors such as, 

but not limited to: burnt, scorched, stale, rancid, etc.

6.3 Foreign material. All ingredients and finished product must be clean, sound, wholesome, 

and free from evidence of rodent or insect infestation.

7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

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

purchase order, the analytical requirements for the picante sauce must be as follows.

Test Requirement

Salt 1.4 - 3.0 percent

pH 3.7 - 4.3

Soluble solids 8.0 - 12.5 percent3

Titratable acidity 0.69 - 1.15 percent

Consistency Not less than 6.5 or more than 10.0 centimeters in 

30 seconds at 20oC (68oF) ± 1oC (1.8oF)4

 3 Includes a 1.0 percent allowance for salt content, with no individual sample below 7.5 percent.

4 After removal of chunks so that no chunks block the gate.
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Test Requirement

Pungency5

Type I Less than 4 ppm (less than 60 SHU)

Type II 4-12 ppm (60-180 SHU)

Type III Greater than 12 ppm (greater than 180 SHU)

7.2 Pungency. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, pungency must be 

defined at the discretion of the buyer or be based on a reference or bid sample product and be a 

mutual agreement between the parties involved. NOTE: Commercial vendor’s pungency 

ranges vary greatly.

7.3 Product verification sampling. When USDA verification of analytical requirements is 

specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, analytical testing must be performed on 

a composite sample. The composite sample must be 113.4 g (4 oz) prepared from five randomly 

selected subsamples. Subsamples must be a minimum of one jar/pouch/container and must

contain the appropriate number of jars/pouches/containers to yield a 113.4 g (4 oz) sample when 

composited. Each subsample must contain equal amounts of product to yield at least a 113.4 g 

(4 oz) sample.

7.4 Preparation of sample. The sample must be prepared according to the AOAC International 

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA), Method 945.68, using a high speed blender.

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

analyses must be made in accordance with the following methods from the OMA, or as specified 

below.

Test Method

Pungency 995.03

Salt 941.13

pH 981.12

Soluble Solids 970.59 or 6

Titratable acidity 942.15

Consistency Bostwick Consistometer7

7.6 Test results. The test results for pungency must be reported to the nearest SHU or ppm. 

The test result for salt and soluble solids must be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. The test 

 5 Parts per million (ppm) capsaicin, Scoville Heat Units (SHU).

6 Analyze the sample for solids content (refractive index) and correct for the salt content according to the USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS), Specialty Crops Program’ (SCP) Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division “Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products, Solids Content 

Determinations” using the appropriate method described on pages 7 - 12 for the solids content and pages 13 - 18 for the added salt correction. 7 USDA, AMS, SCP “Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products, Determination of Consistency”.
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result for pH must be reported to the 0.1 value. Titratable acidity must be reported to the 0.01 

percent. The test result for consistency must be reported to the nearest 0.5 centimeters. Any 

result not conforming to the analytical requirements must be cause for rejection of the lot.

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

distributor must certify that the picante sauce provided meets the salient characteristics of this 

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

same picante sauce offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the right 

to require proof of conformance.

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered picante sauce must comply with all 

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

packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of the picante sauce in the commercial 

marketplace. Delivered picante sauce must comply with all applicable provisions of the Federal 

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, and regulations 

promulgated thereunder. When a known allergen is included in the picante sauce, the picante 

sauce must comply with the allergen labeling requirements of the Federal FD&C Act.

10. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser must specify 10.3 or 10.4. 

Purchaser may specify one of the following combinations: 10.1.1 with 10.2.1, or 10.1.2 with 

10.2.2.

10.1 Food defense. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a Food 

Defense System Survey (FDSS) must be conducted by USDA, AMS, Specialty Crops Program 

(SCP), Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division. 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 postproduction finished product. The plan must 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.

10.1.1 FDSS. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a FDSS must be 

conducted by USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division. 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.

2

2 See footnote 2 on page 2.
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10.1.2 Food defense section of the Plant Systems Audit (PSA). When required in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a food defense audit will be conducted as part of the 

PSA. The audit will be conducted by USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division 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, PSA 

verifies the participating company’s adherence to the FDA’s Guidance for Industry - Food 

Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance.2

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

purchase order, the product manufacturer must 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 the 

awarding of the contract. Failure to provide this documentation within the proper time frame 

may result in the contract being terminated for cause.

10.2.1 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 Current Good 

Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food (21 CFR Part 

110).

10.2.2 PSA. A 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 Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, 

Packing, or Holding Human Food (21 CFR Part 110), and verifies that the manufacturer has in 

place an internal quality assurance program. 

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

or purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor must certify that the picante sauce distributed 

meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID. The manufacturer/distributor must certify via a 

Certificate of Conformance or other adequate documentation (as specified by the purchaser) that 

the picante sauce meets the analytical requirements specified in Sec. 7 of this CID.

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, 

must be the certifying program. SCI Division inspectors must certify the quality and 

acceptability of the picante sauce in accordance with SCI Division procedures, which include 

selecting random samples of the picante sauce, evaluating the samples for conformance with the 

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

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

2 See footnote 2 on page 2.
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the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, SCI Division inspectors will examine the picante 

sauce for conformance to the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers (7 CFR Part 42) 

in effect on the date of the solicitation.

11. PACKAGING. Preservation, packaging, packing, labeling, and case marking must be 

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

12. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 10.4 is specified in the solicitation, 

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

condition of samples of packaged picante sauces, and compliance with requirements in the 

following areas:

- Processing guidelines (Sec. 5).

- Salient characteristics (Sec. 6).

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

(Sec. 7.1). When USDA analytical testing is specified, SCI Division inspection personnel 

must select samples and submit them to the USDA, Science and Technology Programs 

(S&TP) laboratory for analysis.

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

order).

13. REFERENCE NOTES.

13.1 USDA services.

13.1.1 USDA certification. For a USDA certification contact the Associate Director, 

Inspection Operations, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Room 1536 South Building, STOP 

0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0247, telephone (202) 720-

2482, fax (202) 720-0393, or via E-mail: Nathaniel.Taylor@ams.usda.gov.

13.1.2 USDA FDSS, Plant Survey, and PSA. For a USDA FDSS, Plant Survey, and PSA 

contact the Chief, Auditing Services Branch, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Room 1536 

South Building, STOP 0240, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0240, 

telephone (202) 720-5021, fax (202) 260-8927, or via E-mail: fvaudits@ams.usda.gov.

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

on analytical testing, contact a member of the Laboratory Approval and Testing Division,

S&TP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0272, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-

0272, telephone (202) 690-0621 or via E-mail: KerryR.Smith@ams.usda.gov.
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13.2 Sources of documents.

13.2.1 Sources of information for nongovernmental documents are as follows:

Copies of the AOAC International OMA may be obtained from: AOAC International, 2275 

Research Boulevard, Suite 300, Rockville, MC 20850-3250, telephone (301) 924-7077. 

Internet address: http://www.aoac.org for nonmembers and http://www.eoma.aoac.org for 

members and AOAC OMA subscribers.

Copies of the Food Chemicals Codex and U.S. Pharmacopeia may be purchased from: United States 

Pharmacopeia Convention, 12601 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD 20877, telephone (800) 

227-8772 or (301) 881-0666, Fax (301) 816-8148 or on the Internet at: http://www.usp.org.

13.2.2 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows:

Applicable provisions of the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers are contained in 7 

CFR Part 42, 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. These documents may also be obtained free 

of charge on the Internet at: 

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

Copies of the Methods of Analysis for Tomato Products is available from: Director, SCI

Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0247, Washington,

D.C. 20250 or on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.

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.

Copies of this CID, the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers (7 CFR Part 42), and 

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

may improve this CID are available from or provided to: Director, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, 

USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0247, Washington, DC 20250, via E-mail: 

CIDS@ams.usda.gov or on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/cids

and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2015-title7-vol2/pdf/CFR-2015-title7-vol2-part42.pdf.

Copies of this CID are also available online at: ASSIST Online (https://assist.dla.mil) or 

ASSIST Quick Search (http://quicksearch.dla.mil) or from the Standardization Documents 
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Order Desk, Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Document Services, Building 4D, 700 

Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094. 

Beneficial comments, recommendations, additions, deletions, clarifications, etc., and any data 

which may improve this document should be sent to: DLA Troop Support, ATTN: DLAFTSA, 700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5092 or via E-mail: 

dscpsubsweb@dla.mil.

MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

Custodians DOJ - BOP

HHS - FDA

Army - GL USDA - SCP

Navy - SA VA - OSS

Air Force - 35

Review Activities PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Army - MD, QM DLA - SS

Navy - MC (Project No. 8950-2016-001)

NOTE: The activities listed above were interested in this document as of the date of this 

document. Since organizations and responsibilities can change, you should verify the currency 

of the information above using the ASSIST Online database at https://assist.dla.mil.

Non-Discrimination Policy: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture 

(USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions 

participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national 

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Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, 

large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET 

Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. 

Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD3027, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter 

addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the 

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