A-A-20150A

May 23, 2003

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20150

 August 4, 1989 

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

CHICKEN PARTS, FROZEN, FULLY COOKED, BREADED AND UNBREADED

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

 the use of this Commercial Item Description.

1. SCOPE. This Commercial Item Description (CID) covers breaded and unbreaded fully cooked 

frozen chicken parts (thighs, wings, drumsticks, and breast halves) packed in commercially acceptable 

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

2. PURCHASER NOTES.

2.1 Purchasers shall specify the following:

- Types, styles, broiler/fryer weight and forms required (Sec. 3).

- When the storage time is different than specified (Sec. 5.6).

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

- When microbial requirements need to be verified (Sec. 6.2).

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 9.1) or USDA certification (Sec. 9.2).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

- Breading seasoning for Form a, Breaded (Sec. 3).

- Flavor seasoning for Form b, Not breaded (Sec. 3).

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The chicken parts shall conform to the following list which shall be specified 

in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

Types, styles, broiler/fryer weights, forms, breading seasonings and flavor seasonings.

 Type I - For heating in an oven

 Type II - For heating in a deep fat fryer

FSC 8905

METRIC
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Style A - 8 piece cut (two wings, two drumsticks, two breast quarters without wings [two breast 

 halves with back portions], and two thighs with back portions

Style B - Thighs with back portions

Style C - Wings

Style D - Drumsticks

Style E - Breast halves with back portions

Style F - Other

Broiler/fryer weight 1 - 1.34 - 1.36 kg (2.50 - 3.00 pounds)

Broiler/fryer weight 2 - 1.36 - 2.04 kg (3.00 - 4.50 pounds)

Broiler/fryer weight 3 - Other

Form a - Breaded (Purchaser may specify breading seasoning with Form a)

Breading Seasoning i - Spicy

Breading Seasoning ii - Other

Form b - Not breaded (Purchaser may specify flavor seasoning with Form b)

Flavor seasoning i - Barbeque

Flavor seasoning ii - Other

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

shall meet the requirements of the:

 - Salient characteristics (Sec. 5).

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

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

 - 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 chicken parts shall be processed in accordance with good manufacturing 

practices (21 CFR Part 110). Processing operations must comply with Poultry Products Inspection 

Regulations (9 CFR Part 381).

5.2 Raw Product.

5.2.1 Chicken. The chicken parts shall be produced from ready-to-cook fresh chilled broiler/fryers 

weighing as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order without necks and giblets. The 
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chicken parts shall meet the requirements of U.S. Grade A for all factors, except for exposed flesh. 

Parts may be U.S. Grade B quality for exposed flesh. No previously frozen chicken may be used in this 

product. 

5.2.2 Monosodium glutamate (MSG). No MSG may be used in the manufacture of breaded or 

unbreaded chicken parts.

5.2.3 Marinating. The ready-to-cook chicken parts must be marinated in a solution before 

batter/breading or cooking/frying. The marinating solution must not exceed 14 percent. When 

specified, flavor seasoning shall be included.

5.2.3.1 Phosphates. Use of restricted phosphates must be in accordance with 9 CFR § 424.21(c).

5.2.4 Batter/Breading. Batter/breading must be the type used for marinated chicken parts to 

produce frozen precooked chicken that will be reheated in an oven or fryer by institutional users. The 

primary ingredient by weight of batter/breading shall be: enriched wheat flour, corn flour, or whole 

wheat flour, or any combination of two or three of these flours. Other ingredients may be used to 

provide the needed adhesion and functional properties and produce the desired appearance, color, 

texture, crispness, and flavor. The kind and amount of restricted food additives and ingredients in the 

batter/breading must be those permitted by the Food Safety Inspection Service (FSIS).

 

5.2.4.1 Application of batter/breading. Uncooked batter/breading shall be applied to a chicken part 

so that all surfaces of meat and skin are covered. The amount of uncooked batter/breading shall not 

exceed 25 percent of the weight of the battered and breaded parts.

5.2.5 Oils. When frying is used in the cooking process, vegetable oil shall be used as the frying 

medium and continuously filtered. Only corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, or a mixture of these oils 

may be used. No coconut, palm kernel, or other tropical oils shall be used. Vegetable oil must be the 

type used for heavy duty frying, must contain antioxidants, and may contain heavy metal scavengers and 

antifoaming agents which improve stability and extend use and performance of the oil. Kind and amount 

of additives in oil must be in accordance with Food and Drug Administration regulations.

5.3 Cooked product. 

5.3.1 Cooking. The product shall be cooked by any method or combination of methods allowed by 

the Poultry Products Inspection Regulations. A minimum internal product temperature of 71.1EC 

(160EF) shall be obtained during cooking (9 CFR § 381.150 and Appendix A --

Compliance Guidelines for Meeting Lethality Performance Standards for Certain Meat and Poultry 

Products). 
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5.3.2 Color and appearance. The cooked chicken parts shall have a uniform color characteristic of 

cooked chicken; and the meat shall have no discoloration. The cooked breaded product shall have a 

golden brown color that is no lighter than the “light tolerance” or darker than 

the “dark tolerance” shown within the tolerances of the current edition of the USDA, Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS), Poultry Programs color control guidelines. The chicken product shall not be 

fractured (separated into two or more separate pieces). The chicken parts shall show no evidence of 

mishandling or deterioration; and must have a bright color and show no evidence of dehydration or 

freezing and thawing.

5.3.3 Odor and flavor. The cooked chicken parts shall be free of foreign odors and flavors such as, 

but not limited to burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, bitter, or oily. 

5.3.5 Texture. The cooked chicken parts shall be moist and tender. The breading shall not be soggy, 

excessively oily, greasy, or sticky, be brittle or have a shell-like texture.

5.3.5 Cooked breaded products. The cooked chicken parts shall not have more than one area not 

coated with batter/breading larger than 2.54 cm (1 inch) and an aggregate area of all areas not coated 

with batter/breading larger than 3.81 cm (1.50 inches).

5.3.6 Foreign material. Determination of wholesomeness and acceptability with respect to the 

presence of foreign material (e.g. glass, paper, rubber, or metal) shall be made by a Food Safety and 

Inspection Service employee. All ingredients shall be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from evidence 

of rodent or insect infestation.

5.3.7 Metal detection. All product must be examined by a metal detection device capable of 

detecting metals that may be present in the product.

5.4 Chilling/Freezing. The cooked chicken products shall be chilled in accordance with FSIS 

Regulations Directive 7110.3, Rev. 1, TIME/TEMPERATURE GUIDELINES FOR COOLING 

HEATED PRODUCTS and Appendix B -- Compliance Guidelines for Cooling Heat-Treated Meat 

and Poultry Products (Stabilization). The cooked chilled chicken products shall be individually frozen in 

a manner that will prevent the chicken products from sticking together after freezing. Immediately after 

individual freezing, the product shall be packaged and placed in a freezer held at -17.8EC (0EF) or 

below. The internal product temperature shall be lowered to -17.8EC (0EF) or lower within 72 hours 

from the time the product enters the freezer. The internal product temperature shall not exceed: (a) -

17.8EC (0EF) at the time of shipment, and (b) -12.2EC (10EF) at time of delivery.

5.5 Storage time. Unless otherwise specified, the maximum storage time for frozen cooked chicken 

parts, at -17.8EC (0EF) or below, is 180 calendar days from the date of manufacture.
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6. MICROBIAL REQUIREMENTS

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

order, the microbial requirements for the cooked chicken parts shall be as follows: 

Standard Plate count Less than 50,000 colony forming units (CFU) per gram

Salmonella Negative

6.2 Product verification. When USDA verification of microbial requirements is specified in the 

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

6.2.1 Sampling procedures. AMS grading personnel will select the number of product containers for 

testing based on USDA inspection service sampling procedures and plans.

6.2.2 Composite sample. Microbial testing shall be performed on a composite sample. The 

composite sample shall be 454 grams (1 pound) and prepared from subsamples drawn from 

randomly selected containers. The number of subsamples used to create the composite shall be based 

on USDA procedures.

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

be made in accordance with the following Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International:

Test Method

 Standard Plate Count 966.23, 990.12

 Salmonella 986.35 or Section C-15 1/

1/ Chapter 5 , 8th Edition, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Bacteriological Analytical Manual 

(BAM).

6.4 Test results. The test results for standard plate count shall be reported to the nearest 100 CFU 

per gram. Salmonella results should be reported as detected or not detected. 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 chicken parts provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this CID, 

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

prepared chicken parts offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the right to 

require proof of conformance.
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8. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The chicken and finished product shall originate and be 

produced, processed, and stored in compliance with all applicable provisions of the Meat and Poultry 

Inspection Acts and regulations promulgated thereunder. The delivered chicken parts shall comply 

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

preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of chicken parts within the commercial 

marketplace. Delivered chicken parts shall comply with all applicable 

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

regulations promulgated thereunder.

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser shall specify 9.1 or 9.2.

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

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor will certify that the finished chicken products distributed 

meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID.

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

quality and acceptability or both be determined, the USDA, AMS, Poultry Programs, Grading Branch, 

shall be the certifying program. AMS poultry graders shall certify the quality and acceptability of the 

chicken products in accordance with Poultry Program procedures which include selecting random 

samples of the packaged chicken products, evaluating the samples for 

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

documenting the findings on official Poultry Program work sheets and/or certificates. In addition, when 

required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, poultry graders will examine the chicken 

products 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 9.2 is specified in the solicitation, contract, 

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

condition of samples of packaged chicken products, and compliance with requirements in the 

following areas:

- Salient characteristics (Sec. 5).

- Microbial requirements when specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

 order (Sec. 6.2). When USDA microbial testing is specified, Poultry Program

 grading personnel shall select samples and submit them to the USDA, S&TP

 laboratory for analysis.
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- Packaging requirements (Sec. 10 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or 

 purchase order).

12. REFERENCE NOTES.

12.1 USDA certification contact. For USDA certification, contact the Grading Branch, Poultry 

Programs, USDA, AMS, STOP 0258, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 

20250-0258, telephone (202) 720-4411, or FAX (202) 690-3165.

12.2 Analytical testing and technical information. For USDA 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: anita.okrend@usda.gov.

12.3 Sources of documents.

12.3.1 Source of information for nongovernmental document is as follows:

Copies of the Official Methods of Analysis and the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) of 

the AOAC International may be obtained from: AOAC International, 481 North Frederick 

Avenue, Suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, telephone (301) 924-7077. Internet address: 

http://www.aoac.org.

12.3.2 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows:

Applicable provisions of the Food and Nutrition Service Regulations are contained in 7 CFR Part 210. 

The Meat and Poultry Inspection Regulations are contained in 9 CFR Parts 301 to end. The Fair 

Packaging and Labeling Act are contained in 16 CFR, Parts 500 to 503. 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, ATTN: New Orders, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-

7954. Credit Card (MasterCard or VISA) purchases may be made by calling the 

Superintendent of Documents on (202) 512-1800 or on the Internet at: 

www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

Copies of the Color Control Guidelines for Chicken Products are available from: USDA, AMS, 

Poultry Programs, STOP 0258, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0258, 

telephone (202) 720-4411, or FAX (202) 690-3165.
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Copies of the FSIS Regulations Directive 7110.3 Time/Temperature Guidelines for Cooling Heated 

Products-Revision 1 are available from: Food Safety and Inspection Service,

Regulations and Directives Development Staff, telephone (202) 720-5627, or FAX (202) 690-

048, via E-mail: FSIS.Regulations@fsis.usda.gov or on the Internet at:

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/rdad/FSISDir7000.htm

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: Head, Food Quality Assurance Staff, FVP, AMS, 

USDA, STOP 0243, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 20250-0243, telephone 

(202) 720-9939, Fax (202) 690-0102, via E-mail: FQAStaff@usda.gov or on the Internet at: 

http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fvqual.htm.

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

Order Desk, Defense Automation Printing Service, 700 Robbins Avenue, Building 4D, 

Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.

MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

Military Coordinating Activity: DOJ - BOP

HHS - NIH, IHS

Army - GL USDA - FV

VA - OSS

Custodians

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Army - GL

Navy - SA USDA - FV

Air Force - 35

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, gender, 

religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, political beliefs, parental status, or protected genetic information. (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 USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue 

SW, Washington DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.