AMSC N/A FSC 8905 

METRIC 

A-A-20081H 

September 2, 2022 

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20081G 

November 28, 2017 

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

BACON AND POULTRY BACON, PRECOOKED, SLICED, SHELF STABLE

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers precooked bacon and poultry bacon (bacon), packed in 

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

• Specie(s), curing agent(s), and package size(s) (Sec. 3).

• When compliance with analytical requirements must be verified (Sec. 7.2). 

• Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 10.1) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.2).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following: 

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The bacon 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.
A-A-20081H 

2 

Species, curing agents, and package sizes.

2

Species I - Pork

Species II - Turkey 

Species III - Other (as specified by the purchaser) 

Curing agents 1 - Uncured

Curing agents 2 - Cured

Package size (1) - 50 slices

Package size (2) - 100 slices 

Package size (3) - 150 slices 

Package size (4) - 160 slices

Package size (5) - 300 slices 

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

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 bacon must be processed in accordance with the applicable provisions of 

the USDA, Food and Safety Inspection Service (FSIS), Federal Meat Inspection Regulations 

(9 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 301 to 350) and Poultry Products Inspection 

Regulations (9 CFR Part 381) if applicable; and be manufactured under Sanitation (9 CFR 

Part 416) and comply with Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) Systems

requirements (9 CFR Part 417). 

5.2 Food defense. The bacon must be processed and transported in accordance with the FSIS 

Food Defense Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and 

Processed Egg Products.

3

 This document identifies the kinds of preventive measures food 

2 Not all options are available from every manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer/distributor for availability. 3 FSIS Food Defense Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and Processed Egg Products is available at: 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/node/2032 
A-A-20081H 

3 

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 Shelf life. Once the bacon is packaged, the bacon must have a remaining shelf life of at 

least 36 months. 

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

6.1 Labeling. Labels for the bacon must show the appropriate product name, ingredient 

statement such as declaring ingredients by their common or usual name in descending order of 

predominance by weight (21 CFR §101.4), and other label information in accordance with 9 CFR 

Parts 317 and 381, unless exempted by 21 CFR §101.100.

6.2 Ingredients.

6.2.1 Bacon. As in FSIS Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book, the term “bacon” is used to 

describe the cured belly of a swine carcass. If meat from other portions of the carcass is used, 

the product name must be qualified to identify the portions, e.g., “Pork Shoulder Bacon.”. 

Poultry bacon products are acceptable and may be designated as (Kind) Bacon. However, a true 

descriptive name must appear continuous to the (Kind) Bacon without intervening type or 

design, in letters at least one-half the size of the letters used in the (Kind) Bacon, and in the same 

style and color and on the same background. An example of an acceptable designation is 

“Turkey Bacon-Cured Turkey Breast Meat-Chopped and Formed.” 

6.2.2 Additional processing ingredients. 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 Parts 182 and 184) for those 

uses by Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

6.2.3 Curing agents. When used, curing agents in the bacon must be in accordance with limits 

specified in the table in 9 CFR §424.21(c). The bacon may be prepared without nitrate or nitrite 

and labeled with such standard name when immediately preceded with term “Uncured,” 

provided that the bacon is similar in size, flavor, consistency, and general appearance to such 

product as commonly prepared with nitrate and nitrite (9 CFR §317.17(b)). 
A-A-20081H 

4 

6.3 Finished product.

6.3.1 Size. The bacon slices must not be less than 12.70 centimeters (cm) (5.00 inches (in)) and 

not more than 20.30 cm (8.00 in) long and not less than 1.90 cm (0.75 in) and not more than 3.80 

cm (1.50 in) wide.

6.3.2 Flavor and odor. The bacon must have a smokey, salty, cooked bacon odor and flavor. 

There must be no foreign odor or flavor (e.g., burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, musty, moldy). 

6.3.3 Color. The pork bacon must have a reddish-brown lean portion and off-white to yellowtan fat portion. The turkey bacon must have a reddish-brown color with slight yellow to tan fat 

distributed throughout. 

6.3.4 Slicing. The pressed and smoked slabs should be uniformly sliced yielding 12-15 slices 

per inch.

6.3.5 Texture. The bacon must be tender, slightly firm, slightly moist, and slightly chewy. 

6.3.6 Defects. There must not be any bacon slice cut or torn more than one half the width of the 

slice; nor have burnt areas measuring 7.60 millimeters (mm) (0.30 in) or more in any dimension 

(a burnt edge is one in which the black color of carbonation is evident to the eye). Slices must 

not break or crack when the ends are brought together. The bacon must not contain glandular 

tissue measuring 12.70 mm (0.50 in) or more in any dimension; nor bone, cartilage, skin, or 

bruises measuring 7.60 mm (0.30 in) or more in any dimension. The bacon slices must not 

separate more than one half the length of the slice.

6.3.7 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, insects, insect 

pieces or rodent or insect infestation. 

7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

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

purchase order, the following analytical requirements for the bacon must conform to those in 

Table I: 
A-A-20081H 

5 

TABLE I. Analytical requirements

Test Requirement

Fat4 The average content (mean) must not be more 

than 52.00 percent.

Salt4 The average content (mean) must not be more 

than 6.50 percent

Water activity (Aw) An individual pouch must not exceed 0.865

Yield Cooked bacon (pork) can have a yield of not 

more than 40.00 percent. This does not apply 

to poultry bacon. 

7.2 Analytical verification. Purchaser must specify manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification 

(Sec. 10.1) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.2).

7.3 USDA verification procedures. When USDA certification (Sec. 10.2) is specified in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order, analytical testing must be performed as follows. 

7.3.1 Product verification sampling. USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), 

Livestock and Poultry (LP) Quality Assessment Division (QAD) will select at least six pouches, 

or the number of product containers based on USDA certification service sampling procedures 

and plans. A test will be performed to determine the in-package equilibrium water activity of 

each flexible pouch and its contents. A stepwise selection of 15 slices of bacon per pouch must 

be chopped to less than or equal to 6.35 mm (0.25 in) pieces. The chopped pieces must be mixed 

and a sample of no less than 2.50 grams must be analyzed for water activity. (Detailed 

description of USDA Standard Operating Procedure for Analysis of Water Activity in Bacon, 

Precooked, Sliced, in Flexible Pouches - SOP No: MRE-0001 dated 7/21/08 is available upon 

request). Water activity must not be determined from individual slices, core samples, or blended 

bacon. 

7.3.2 Analytical testing and reporting. After completion of the pouch filling and heat 

processing operations for each lot, nine pouches of precooked, sliced bacon must be randomly 

selected from the lot. These nine pouches must be randomly distributed as follows: 

4 Product must be prepared according to Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) International Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) 

983.18 in that the pouch samples (three per lot) must be homogeneously blended. 5 A mean must be calculated for the water activity unit values (see Sec. 7.3.1). The mean water activity must not exceed 0.78 and no individual 

sample must exceed a value of 0.86.
A-A-20081H

6

• Three must be submitted to the laboratory for analysis (these can be part of the Aw sample 

pouches).

• Three must be submitted to the contractor.

• Three must be retained by the AMS agent as a reserve sample.

Analysis of reserve samples at the request of the contractor must not be permitted unless the 

original analysis indicated that the involved lot will be discounted or rejected because of 

noncompliance with the fat or salt content requirement. When the reserve sample is analyzed, 

the analyses for both fat and salt must be made and will be considered final. Unused reserve 

samples must be returned to the contractor for inclusion in the same lot. When specified in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the analyses must be made in accordance with the 

following methods from the AOAC International OMA or as specified in Table II. Any result 

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

TABLE II. Analytical testing and reporting

Test Method Reported as

Fat AOAC 991.36, 2007.04, 2008.06 Nearest 0.100 percent

Salt AOAC 935.47 Nearest 0.100 percent

Aw AOAC 978.18, 2007.04, or 2008.06 Nearest 0.001 value

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

distributor must certify that the bacon provided meets the salient characteristics of this CID, 

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

bacon offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the right to require 

proof of conformance.

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered bacon 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 bacon in the commercial marketplace. 

Delivered bacon must comply with all applicable provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and 

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

Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), and regulations promulgated thereunder. The allergen 

statement must be provided in a format which complies with FALCPA 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.
A-A-20081H

7

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

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

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

meets analytical requirements specified in Sec. 7 of this CID.

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the USDA, AMS, LP, QAD must be the 

certifying program. QAD inspectors must certify the quality and acceptability of the bacon in 

accordance with QAD procedures, which include selecting random samples of the bacon, 

evaluating the samples for conformance with the salient characteristics and analytical 

requirements of this CID and other contractual requirements, and documenting the findings on 

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

contract, or purchase order, QAD inspectors will examine the bacon for conformance to the 

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 Sec. 10.2 is specified in the solicitation, contract, 

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

of samples of bacon 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). When USDA analytical testing is specified, QAD inspection personnel must select 

samples and submit them to the USDA, AMS, Science and Technology Program (S&T)

laboratory for analysis.

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

order).

13. REFERENCE NOTES.

13.1 USDA services.
A-A-20081H 

8 

13.1.1 QAD certification. For QAD certification contact: Quality Assessment Division, LP, 

AMS, USDA, Room 2092-S, STOP 0249, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 

20250-0201, telephone (202) 720-5705 or via E-mail: QAD.BusinessOps@usda.gov. 

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

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

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

(202) 690-4089 or via E-mail: LATD@usda.gov. Samples for specified USDA analytical 

testing should be sent to the USDA, AMS, S&T laboratory for analysis at: USDA, AMS, S&T, 

National Science Laboratory, 801 Summit Crossing Place, Suite B, Gastonia, NC 28054.

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. 

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 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 Food Safety and 

Inspection Service are contained in 9 CFR Parts 300 to 599, 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 at (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 FSIS Food Defense Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, 

Poultry, and Processed Egg Products are available online from: USDA, FSIS on the Internet at: 

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/node/2032 
A-A-20081H 

9 

Copies of this CID and the 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, DC 20250-0240, via E-mail: 

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

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

ASSIST Quick Search (https://quicksearch.dla.mil).

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

which may improve this document should be sent to: DLA Troop Support, ATTN: FTSA, 

700 Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5092 or via E-mail: dscpsubsweb@dla.mil.

MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITY:

Military Coordination Activity DOJ - BOP

HHS - FDA

Army - GL USDA - SCP

VA - OSS

Custodians

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Army - GL

Navy - SA DLA - SS

Air Force - 35 Project No. 8905-2022-001 

DLA - SS

Review Activities

Army - MD, QM

Navy - MC

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 origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, 

disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation 

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 
A-A-20081H 

10 

information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to 

USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

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.