FSC 8910/8940

METRIC

A-A-20072D

March 19, 2020

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20072C

March 26, 2008

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

MILK, EVAPORATED, SHELF STABLE

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers shelf stable evaporated milk (evaporated milk), packed in 

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

other interested parties. 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), class(es), container size(s), package size(s), package type(s), and agricultural 

practice(s) of evaporated milk desired (Sec. 3). 

• When the age requirements at the time of delivery is other than specified (Sec. 5.4)

• Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 10.2) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.3). 

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

• Manufacturer’s quality assurance and plant survey (Sec. 10.1). 

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The evaporated milk must conform to the following list which must be 

specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

Types, classes, container sizes, package sizes, package types, and agricultural practices.

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Type I - Evaporated milk, vitamin D added (21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 

§131.130(b)(1))

Type II - Evaporated milk, vitamins A and D added (21 CFR §131.130(b)(1) and (2))

1 USDA purchase specifications are available at: https://www.ams.usda.gov/selling-food/product-specs. 2 Not all options are available from every manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer/distributor for availability.
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Class A - Regular evaporated milk 

Class B - Reduced fat evaporated milk 

Class C - Low-fat evaporated milk 

Class D - Fat-free evaporated milk 

Container size 1 - 147.8 milliliters (mL) (5 fluid (fl) ounces (oz)) 

Container size 2 - 236.6 mL (8 fl oz) 

Container size 3 - 354.9 mL (12 fl oz) 

Container size 4 - 946.4 mL (32 fl oz)

Container size 5 - 2.87 liters (L) (97 fl oz) 

Container size 6 - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Package size a - 96 containers per case

Package size b - 48 containers per case

Package size c - 27 containers per case

Package size d - 24 containers per case

Package size e - 12 containers per case 

Package size f - 6 containers per case 

Package size g - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Package type (i) - Cans

Package type (ii) - Aseptic containers

Package type (iii) - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Agricultural practice (a) - Conventional 

Agricultural practice (b) - Organic 

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).

• 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 evaporated milk must be pasteurized and processed in accordance with 

Current Good Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls

for Human Food (21 CFR Part 117). The manufacturing plants must be eligible for Section I 
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listing in the most recent version of the publication Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for 

USDA Grading Service.

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5.2 Food defense. The evaporated milk must be processed and transported in accordance with

Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration (21 CFR Part 121). This 

regulation 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 postproduction finished product.

5.3 Organic ingredients. When organic evaporated milk is specified in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, the evaporated milk must be produced, handled, and labeled in 

accordance with the USDA organic regulations by an operation that is certified organic in 

accordance with the requirements of the National Organic Program (7 CFR Part 205). A 

Certificate of Organic Production or Handling must be provided to verify that the product was 

processed and handled in accordance with the USDA organic regulations.

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

order, the evaporated milk must be processed and packaged not more than 60 days prior to 

delivery to the purchaser. 

5.5 Shelf life. Once the evaporated milk is packaged, the evaporated milk must have a 

remaining shelf life of at least six months.

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

6.1 Definitions.

6.1.1 Evaporated milk. Evaporated milk is the liquid food obtained by partial removal of water 

only from milk. It contains not less than 6.5 percent by weight of milkfat, not less than 16.5 

percent by weight of milk solids not fat, and not less than 23 percent by weight of total milk 

solids (21 CFR §131.130(a)).

6.1.2 Reduced fat. Contains at least 25 percent less fat per reference amount customarily 

consumed (RACC) (21 CFR §101.62(b)(4)).

6.1.3 Low-fat. Maximum of 3 grams (g) or less total fat per RACC (21 CFR §101.62(b)(2)).

6.1.4 Fat-free. Less than 0.5 g of total fat per RACC (21 CFR §101.62(b)(1)).

3 The Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service is available at: https://apps.ams.usda.gov/dairy/ApprovedPlantList/.
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6.1.5 Aseptic container. The aseptic containers shall be comprised of layers of paper, 

polyethylene, and aluminum foil. 

6.2 Labeling. 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.

6.3 Additional processing ingredients. Evaporated milk must be fortified with vitamin D (21 

CFR §131.130(b)(1)) and may also be fortified with vitamin A (21 CFR §131.130(b)(2)). When 

used, all additional 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 U.S. Pharmacopeia (USP)-National Formulary. The additional ingredients must be 

approved food additives (21 CFR Part 170) or meet Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) 

requirements (21 CFR Part 182 and 184) for those particular uses by FDA.

6.4 Finished product.

6.4.1 Flavor and aroma. The evaporated milk must possess a sweet, pleasing, and desirable 

flavor with not more than a definite cooked flavor. It must be free from scorched, oxidized, or 

other objectionable flavors and odors. 

6.4.2 Color. The evaporated milk must possess a uniform natural white to light cream color.

The evaporated milk must not be a dark cream to tan color which is an indication of excessive 

heat treatment. 

6.4.3 Consistency. The evaporated milk must be stabilized and of medium viscosity with a 

uniform consistency and appearance. It must be smooth and free from fat or protein separation, 

lumps, clots, gel formation, coarse milk solids precipitate or sedimentation, and extraneous 

material. 

6.4.4 Container requirements.

6.4.4.1 Can requirements. The interior walls of the cans must not show excessive burn-on of 

evaporated milk. Burn-on occurs during the heating process when milk becomes fused to the can 

surfaces. When burn-on is greater than 75 percent of the can surface, it is considered excessive. 

The cans must be free from leakers, rust, and other evidence of improper processing and storage. 

6.4.4.2 Aseptic container requirements. The aseptically packaged evaporated milk must be 

hermetically sealed in containers with a foil tab opening. 

6.5 Defects and foreign material. All other ingredients must be clean, sound, wholesome, and 

free from foreign material, such as, but not limited to, extraneous plant material, dirt, plastic, 

metal, insects, insect pieces or rodent or insect infestation. 
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7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS. NOT APPLICABLE.

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

manufacturer/distributor must certify that the evaporated milk provided meets the salient 

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

practices, and be the same evaporated milk offered for sale in the commercial market. The 

purchaser reserves the right to require proof of conformance.

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered evaporated milk must comply with all 

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

preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of the evaporated milk in the 

commercial marketplace. Delivered evaporated milk must comply with all applicable provisions 

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

the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), and regulations

promulgated thereunder. The allergen statement must be provided in a format which complies 

with the FALPCA Act for any product which contains wheat, fish, milk, soy, tree nuts, eggs, 

peanuts, and Crustacean shellfish or those in effect on the date of the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order. 

10. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser must specify 10.1, 10.2, or 10.3.

10.1 Manufacturer’s quality assurance and plant survey. When required in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, the manufacturer must be required to have their facilities inspected 

by USDA, AMS, Dairy Program (DP), Dairy Grading Division (DGD), and be eligible for listing 

in Section I of the AMS publication Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading 

Service. An AMS DP plant survey verifies that at the time of the survey, the manufacturer 

produces products in a clean sanitary environment in accordance with Current Good 

Manufacturing Practice, Hazard Analysis, and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Human Food

(21 CFR Part 117) and the requirements contained in 7 CFR Part 58 General Specification for 

Dairy Plants Approved for USDA Inspection and Grading Service.

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

or purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor must certify that the evaporated milk delivered

meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID. 

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the DGD, DP, AMS, USDA, must be 

the certifying program. DGD inspectors must certify the quality and acceptability of the 

evaporated milk in accordance with DGD procedures which include selecting random samples of 

the evaporated milk, evaluating the samples for conformance with the salient characteristics of 

this CID and other contractual requirements, and documenting the findings on official DGD 

certificates. In addition, when required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, DGD 
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inspectors will examine the evaporated milk for conformance to the US Standards for Condition 

of Food Containers (7 CFR Part 42) in effect on the date of the solicitation. To qualify for this 

option the plant must be listed in Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading 

Service (See Sec. 10.1).

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 Sec. 10.3 is specified in the solicitation, contract, 

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

of samples of evaporated milk and compliance with requirements in the following areas:

• Processing guidelines (Sec. 5).

• Salient characteristics (Sec. 6).

• 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 plant surveys and certification. For USDA plant surveys and certification 

contact: Grading and Standards Division, DP, AMS, USDA, Room 2968 South Building, 

STOP 0225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0225, telephone 

(202) 720-3171, via E-mail: DairyNFO@usda.gov or on the internet at:

www.ams.usda.gov/services/auditing/dairy-plant-survey-program. 

13.1.2 Analytical testing and technical information. For USDA technical information on 

analytical testing, contact the Laboratory Approval and Testing Division, S&TP, AMS, 

USDA, STOP 0272, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0272, 

telephone (202) 690-4089 or via E-mail: LATD@usda.gov.

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, MD 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.
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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 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. 

These documents may also be obtained free of charge on the Internet at: 

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

For additional information refer to the Dairy Grading Branch Laboratory Methods and 

Procedures, and Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service available 

from: Grading and Standards Division, DP, AMS, USDA, Room 2968 South Building, 

STOP 0225, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0225, via E-mail: 

DairyNFO@usda.gov, by calling telephone (202) 720-3171 or on the internet at: 

www.ams.usda.gov/dairy/grading.

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

available from: Director, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Room 1536 South Building, 

STOP 0240, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-0240, via E-mail: 

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

and https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2019-title7-vol2/pdf/CFR-2019-title7-vol2-

part42.pdf.
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CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITY:

DOJ - BOP

HHS - FDA

USDA - SCP

VA - OSS

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

USDA - SCP

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and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited 

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for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and 

complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

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, AD-3027, found online at How to 

File a Program Discrimination Complaint 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 complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to 

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Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. 

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.