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METRIC

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September 30, 2021

SUPERSEDING

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May 8, 2008

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

CREAM CHEESE, NEUFCHÂTEL CHEESE,

AND RELATED PRODUCTS

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers cream cheese, Neufchâtel cheese, and related products (cream 

cheese), 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) and agricultural practice(s) of cream cheese required

(Sec. 3).

• When analytical 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. 10.2) 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 cream cheese 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.
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Types, classes, container sizes and agricultural practices.

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Type I - Cream cheese

Class A - Cream cheese

Class B - Reduced fat cream cheese

Class C - Low fat cream cheese

Type II - Cream cheese with other foods (e.g., strawberries, chives, salmon, etc.) (as specified 

 by the purchaser)

Class A - Cream cheese with other foods

Class B - Reduced fat cream cheese with other foods 

Class C - Low fat cream cheese with other foods 

Type III - Neufchâtel cheese

Type IV - Neufchâtel cheese with other foods (e.g., strawberries, chives, salmon, etc.) (as 

 specified by the purchaser)

Container size 1 - 28.3 grams (g) (1 ounce (oz)) individual serving

Container size 2 - Multiple servings (check with manufacturer for the number of servings per 

container)

Container size 3 - 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).

• 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 cream cheese must be processed in accordance with Current Good 

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

2 Not all options are available from every manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer/distributor for availability. 
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(21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 117). The manufacturing plants must be eligible for 

Section I listing in the most recent version of the publication Dairy Plants Surveyed and 

Approved for USDA Grading Service.

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5.2 Pasteurization. The dairy ingredients used in the manufacture of cream cheese and the final 

product must be subjected to such temperatures and holding periods in approved systems as it 

will assure proper pasteurization or ultra-pasteurization of the product. The heat treatment by 

either process will be sufficient to ensure public health safety and to assure adequate shelf life

yet retaining the most desirable flavor and body characteristics of the finished product in 

accordance with Grading and Inspection, General Specifications for Approved Plants and 

Standards for Grades of Dairy Products (7 CFR Part 58).

5.3 Food defense. The cream cheese 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.

5.4 Organic ingredients. When organic cream cheese is specified in the solicitation, contract, 

or purchase order, the cream cheese 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.

5.5 Storage temperature. Once the cream cheese is packaged, the cream cheese must be 

maintained at a temperature of 7.2 °C (45 °F) or lower.

5.6 Shelf life. Once the cream cheese is packaged, the cream cheese must have a remaining 

shelf life of at least 60 days.

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

6.1 Definitions.

6.1.1 Cream cheese (Type I, Class A). The cream cheese must comply with all applicable 

Federal regulations including those contained in 21 CFR §133.133 for cream cheese.

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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6.1.2 Reduced fat and low fat cream cheese (Type I, Class B and Class C). The cream 

cheese must comply with all applicable Federal regulations including those contained in 21 CFR 

§133.133 for cream cheese, 21 CFR §101.62 for food nutrient content claims for fat, and 21 CFR 

§130.10 for foods named by use of a nutrient content claim and a standardized term.

6.1.3 Cream cheese with other foods (Type II, Class A). The cream cheese with other foods 

such as strawberries, chives, and salmon must comply with all applicable Federal regulations 

including those contained in 21 CFR §133.134.

6.1.4 Reduced fat and low fat cream cheese with other foods (Type II, Class B and

Class C). The cream cheese and related products with other foods such as strawberries, chives, 

and salmon must comply with all applicable Federal regulations including those contained in 21 

CFR §133.134 for cream cheese with other foods, 21 CFR §101.62 for food nutrient content 

claims for fat, and 21 CFR §130.10 for foods named by use of a nutrient content claim and a 

standardized term.

6.1.5 Neufchâtel cheese (Type III) and Neufchâtel cheese with other foods (Type IV). The 

Neufchâtel cheese and Neufchâtel cheese with other foods must comply with all applicable 

Federal regulations including those contained in 21 CFR §133.162. Neufchâtel cheese with 

other foods must be labeled to identify any foods added.

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) unless exempted by 21 CFR §101.100.

6.3 Ingredients.

6.3.1 Raw ingredients. All dairy ingredients used in the manufacture of cream cheese must

originate from plants approved by the Dairy Grading and Standards Division (DGSD), Dairy 

Program (DP), Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), USDA. All dairy products used as 

ingredients must be free from all undesirable flavors and odors.

6.3.2 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).

6.4 Finished product.

6.4.1 Flavor and aroma. The cream cheese may possess a slight lactic acid and cultured 

diacetyl flavor and aroma but must be free from bitter, chalky, flat, sulfide, yeasty or other 
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objectionable flavors and odors. When other food is added, the finished product must possess a 

clean characteristic flavor of the added fruits, chives, vegetables, or other options as specified by 

the purchaser. The flavor of the added ingredients used must be natural and represent the 

intended flavor and intensity desired in the finished product.

6.4.2 Color. The cream cheese must have a uniform white to light cream color. When other 

food is added, it must be uniformly distributed and impart the desirable characteristic color to the 

finished product. The cream cheese must be free from visible mold or other surface

discolorations.

6.4.3 Texture. The cream cheese must be smooth, and free from lumps or grittiness. Reduced 

fat cream cheese may be slightly weak or pasty. Low fat cream cheese may be weak or pasty to 

a pronounced degree. Droplets or beads of moisture on the surface of the cheese are permissible. 

When labeled as “Soft”, the cream cheese may contain less than 1 gram of moisture droplets that 

have run together or pooled. The cream cheese must not show evidence of cracking, serum 

separation, or wheying off. The cream cheese must be medium firm when cold 7.2 °C (45 °F)

and be spreadable at room temperature 20.0 °C (68 °F). When labeled as “Soft”, the cream 

cheese must be spreadable at refrigeration temperature 7.2 °C (45 °F). 

6.5 Foreign material. All ingredients added to the cream cheese that have Defect Action 

Levels must not exceed those tolerances specified in 21 CFR §117.110. All other ingredients 

must be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign material, such as, but not limited to, 

extraneous plant material, dirt, plastic, evidence of rodent or insect infestation, and metal 

contaminants.

7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

7.1 Analytical and microbiological requirements. Unless otherwise specified in the 

solicitation, contract or purchase order, the following analytical and microbiological 

requirements for the cream cheese must conform to those in Table I:
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TABLE I. Analytical and microbiological requirements

Test Type Class Requirement

Milkfat4 I A Not less than 33 percent

Milkfat4 I, II B 16.5 - 20 percent

Milkfat4 III, IV 20 - 33 percent

Milkfat4 I, II C Not to exceed 10 percent

Milkfat4 II A Not less than 27 percent

Moisture4 I A Not to exceed 55 percent

Moisture4 II A Not to exceed 60 percent

Moisture4 III Not to exceed 65 percent

Moisture4 I, II, IV B, C Not to exceed 70 percent

Salt4 I, II, III, IV A, B, C Not to exceed 1.4 percent

pH I, II, III, IV A, B, C 4.4 - 5.2

Yeast and Mold I, II, III, IV A, B, C Less than 100 Colony Forming Units 

(CFU) per g or Most Probable Number

(MPN) per g5

Coliform I, II, III, IV A, B, C Less than 10 CFU per g or MPN per g5

Salmonella I, II, III, IV A, B, C Must be negative

Escherichia coli (E. coli) I, II, III, IV A, B, C Less than 10 CFU per g or MPN per g5

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

(Sec. 10.2) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.3).

7.3 USDA verification procedures. When USDA certification (Sec. 10.3) is specified in the 

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

4 By weight of finished food 5 Findings indicate zero colonies (CFU) per plate or zero tubes producing gas for MPN.
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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 

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 

Association of Official Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) International Official Methods of 

Analysis (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 and microbiological testing and reporting

Test Method Reported as

Fat AOAC 933.05 Nearest 0.1 percent

Moisture AOAC 926.08, 977.11 Nearest 0.1 percent

Salt AOAC 935.43, 983.14, 975.20 Nearest 0.1 percent

pH AOAC 943.02, 945.27, 981.12 Nearest 0.01 value

Yeast and Mold AOAC 995.21, 997.02 Nearest 10 CFU or MPN per g

Coliform AOAC 992.30, 966.24, 991.14, 2000.15, 

or BAM Ch 46

Nearest 10 CFU or MPN per g

Salmonella AOAC 967.26, 967.28, 996.08, 2003.09, 

2004.03, 2011.03, 2011.17, 2013.09, or 

BAM Ch 56

Must be reported as positive or 

negative

E. coli AOAC 991.14, 2011.17, or BAM Ch 46 Nearest 10 CFU or MPN per g

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

distributor must certify that the cream cheese provided meets the salient characteristics of this 

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

same cream cheese offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the right 

to require proof of conformance.

6 8th Edition, FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) or the FDA BAM Online. https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methodsfood/bacteriological-analytical-manual-bam
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9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered cream cheese 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 cream cheese in the 

commercial marketplace. Delivered cream cheese 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.

10. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser must specify 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, DP, DGSD, and be eligible for listing in Section I of the AMS publication 

Dairy Plants Surveyed and Approved for USDA Grading Service.

3

 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 Grading and Inspection, General Specifications for Approved Plants 

and Standards for Grades of Dairy Products.

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

or purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor must certify that the cream cheese 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 cream cheese meets analytical requirements specified in Sec. 7 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 USDA, AMS, DP, DGSD, must be 

the certifying program. DGSD inspectors must certify the quality and acceptability of the cream

cheese in accordance with DGSD procedure which include selecting random samples of the 

cream cheese, evaluating the samples for conformance with the salient characteristics of this CID 

and other contractual requirements, and documenting the findings on official DGSD certificates. 

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

examine the cream cheese for conformance to the 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.
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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 cream cheese 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, SCI Division 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).

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. Samples for specified USDA 

analytical testing should be sent to the USDA, AMS, S&TP 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, 
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telephone (800) 227-8772 or (301) 881-0666, fax (301) 816-8148 or on the Internet at: 

http://www.usp.org.

Copies of the Standard Methods for the Examination of Dairy Products may be purchased from: 

American Public Health Association, 800 I Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001, telephone 

(202) 777-2742 or on the Internet at: http://apha.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 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 FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM) are available online from: FDA, 

Center of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) on the Internet at: 

https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food/bacteriological-analytical-manual-bam.

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

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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complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

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Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA 

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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 

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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.