AMSC N/A FSC 8905

METRIC

A-A-20343B

February 4, 2019

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20343A

June 15, 2011

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

BEEF CHUNKS AND BEEF BROTH, CANNED OR IN FLEXIBLE POUCHES

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers canned or flexibly pouched beef chunks and beef broth (beef 

chunks), 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:

• Type(s) and style(s) of beef chunks required (Sec. 3).

• When analytical and physical requirements are different than specified (Sec. 7.1).

• 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 beef chunks must conform to the following list which must be 

specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

Types and styles.

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Type I - No. 10 Can - 3.06 kilograms (kg) (108 ounces (oz)) 

Type II - No. 3 Cylinder Can - 1.36 kg (48 oz)

Type III - Institutional Size Pouch - 2.95 kg (104 oz)

 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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Type IV - Institutional Size Pouch - 2.27 kg (80 oz)

Type V - Institutional Size Pouch - 1.81 kg (64 oz)

Type VI - Institutional Size Pouch - 1.36 kg (48 oz)

Type VII - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Style A - Cube size 1.9 - 2.54 centimeters (cm) (3⁄4 - 1 inch (in))

Style B - Cube size 2.54 - 4.45 cm (1 - 1-3⁄4 in)

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 beef chunks must be processed in accordance with the USDA, Food Safety 

and Inspection Service (FSIS), Meat Inspection Regulations (9 Code of Federal Regulations 

(CFR) Parts 301-350), be manufactured under sanitary standard operation procedures (SSOP) (9 

CFR Part 416) and follow hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) system 

requirements (9 CFR Part 417).

5.2 Food defense. The beef chunks 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 guidance document 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.

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

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

order of predominance by weight (9 CFR §317.2(f)(1)).

 3 http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/4f9d737a-1f3e-49ff-851b74884fa946bd/Transportation_Security_Guidelines.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.
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6.2 Ingredients.

6.2.1 Raw ingredients. The beef chunks must contain beef and beef broth and may contain 

modified food starch, maltodextrin, phosphates, and seasonings. If used, phosphates must be in 

accordance with 9 CFR §424.21(c). Beef must be the only meat ingredient used in preparing the 

beef chunks and must be produced from whole muscle beef cuts. Chunked and formed beef 

chunks are not permitted.

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 quality. The additional ingredients must be approved for those uses by FDA’s 

regulations on food additives (21 CFR Part 170) or Direct Food Substances Affirmed as

Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) requirements (21 CFR Part 184).

6.3 Finished product.

6.3.1 Appearance and color. The beef must be prepared in uniform cubes, according to the 

style specified, with at least 60 percent by weight of the product within the cube size range 

specified herein. Of the remaining beef chunks, 25 percent must not be smaller than 1.25 cm (1⁄2 

in) cubes for Style A and must not be smaller than 1.9 cm (3⁄4 in) cubes for Style B. The 

remaining 15 percent must not pass through a 6.35 millimeters (mm) (1⁄4 in) sieve. The beef 

chunks must be practically free of bone or bone fragments, cartilage, coarse connective tissue, 

tendons or ligaments and glandular material. The beef chunks must be a light to medium brown 

color, typical of cooked beef.

6.3.2 Odor and flavor. The odor and flavor of the beef chunks must be typical of cooked beef 

and may possess a slightly salty taste. There must be no foreign odors or flavors such as, but not 

limited to, burnt, scorched, rancid, or sour.

6.3.3 Texture. The beef chunks must be tender and moist, but firm. The beef chunks must not 

be dry, tough, or mushy. Under normal recipe preparation, the beef chunks must retain the cube 

shape.

6.4 Foreign material. All ingredients must be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign 

material, such as, but not limited to, extraneous plant material, dirt, hair, wood, glass, metal, 

plastic, insects, insect pieces or rodent or insect infestation. 

6.5 Thermal processing. The filled and sealed containers of beef chunks must be thermally

processed to ensure commercial sterility in accordance with good commercial practice.
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7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

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

contract or purchase order, the following analytical and physical requirements for the beef 

chunks must conform to those in Table I: 

TABLE I. Analytical and physical requirements

Test Requirement

Fat Must not exceed 8.0 percent 

Salt Not less than 0.6 percent and not greater than 

1.2 percent 

Average drained weight - Type I Not less than 1.76 kg (62 oz) 

Average drained weight - Type II Not less than 964 grams (g) (34 oz) 

Average drained weight - Type III Not less than 1.67 kg (59 oz) 

Average drained weight - Type IV, V and VI Not less than 58 percent of the net weight 

Individual drained weight - Type I Not less than 1.70 kg (60 oz) 

Individual drained weight - Type II Not less than 794 g (28 oz) 

Individual drained weight - Type III Not less than 1.62 kg (57 oz) 

Individual drained weight - Type IV, V and 

VI

Not less than 58 percent of the net weight 

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. When USDA verification of analytical requirements is 

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

subsamples of packages randomly selected from the lot. The number of subsamples must be 
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based on USDA inspection service sampling procedures and plans. The contents of each will be 

used to create a composite sample that will be used in the analytical testing.

7.3.2 Analytical testing and reporting. When specified in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the analyses must be made in accordance with the following methods from the 

AOAC International Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) or as specified in Table II. Any result 

not conforming to the analytical and physical testing requirements may be cause for rejection of 

the lot.

TABLE II. Analytical and physical testing and reporting 

Test Method Reported as

Sample preparation 983.18 Not applicable 

Fat 991.36, 2007.04, and 2008.06 Nearest 0.1 percent

Salt 935.47, 971.27 Nearest 0.01 percent 

Drained weight Section 7.3.3 Nearest 2.8 g (0.1 oz) 

7.3.3 Drained weight determination. The contents of the container must be poured into a flatbottom container. A minimum of three times the container’s volume of not less than 60°C 

(140°F) water must be added to the container to cover the contents. The contents and water must 

be gently agitated to liquefy rendered fat without undue breakup of the beef chunks. The 

contents must then be poured into a U.S. Standard No. 8 sieve in a manner that will distribute the 

product over the sieve without breaking the beef chunks. The sieve area must be such that the 

distributed product does not completely cover all the openings of the sieve. The sieve must be 

tilted at such an angle to assure complete drainage of all liquid from the product. The product 

must be drained for 2 minutes before determining the drained weight. Determine the drained 

weight by subtracting the sieve tare weight from the gross weight. 

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

distributor must certify that the beef chunks provided meet the salient characteristics of this CID, 

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

beef chunks offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the right to 

require proof of conformance.

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered beef chunks 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 beef chunks in the 

commercial marketplace. Delivered beef chunks must comply with all applicable provisions of 
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the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic (FD&C) Act, the Federal Meat Inspection Act, the Fair 

Packaging and Labeling Act, and regulations promulgated thereunder. When a known allergen 

is included in the beef chunks, the beef chunks must comply with the allergen labeling 

requirements of the FD&C Act. Major allergens identified in the FD&C Act include: wheat, 

fish, milk, soy, tree nuts, eggs, peanuts, and shellfish or those in effect on the date of the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

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 beef chunks delivered meet 

or exceed 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 beef chunks meet the 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, Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS) inspectors, must be the certifying program. AMS inspectors must certify the 

quality and acceptability of the beef chunks in accordance with AMS procedures, which include 

selecting random samples of the beef chunks, 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 AMS score sheets and/or certificates. In 

addition, when required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, AMS inspectors will 

examine the beef chunks 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 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 beef chunks 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, AMS inspection personnel must select 

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

laboratory for analysis.

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

order).
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13. REFERENCE NOTES.

13.1 USDA services.

13.1.1 USDA certification. For USDA certification contact: Associate Director, Inspection 

Operations, Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division, Specialty Crops Program (SCP), 

AMS, USDA, Room 1536 South Building, STOP 0240, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-0240, telephone (202) 720-2482, fax (202) 720-0393, or via E-mail: 

Nathaniel.Taylor@ams.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&TP, AMS, 

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

telephone (202) 690-4089 or via E-mail: KerryR.Smith@ams.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.

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 Food Safety 

Inspection Service regulations are contained in 9 CFR Parts 300 to End, 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.
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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: 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/connect/4f9d737a-1f3e-49ff-851b74884fa946bd/Transportation_Security_Guidelines.pdf?MOD=AJPERES.

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@ams.usda.gov or on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/gradesstandards/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 (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.
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MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITY:

Custodians DOJ - BOP

HHS - FDA

Army - GL USDA - SCP

Navy - SA VA - OSS

Air Force - 35

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Review Activities

DLA - SS

Army - MD, QM

Navy - MC (Project No. 8905-2018-001)

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 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 

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.