FSC 8945

METRIC

A-A-20091E

April 14, 2021

SUPERSEDING

A-A-20091D

May 7, 2002

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

SALAD OILS, VEGETABLE

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID).

1. SCOPE. This CID covers vegetable salad oils, 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), subtype(s), style(s), saturated fat level(s), and agricultural practice(s) of vegetable 

salad oils 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. 10.3) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.4).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

• Food Defense (Sec. 10.1) and Manufacturer’s Quality Assurance (Sec. 10.2). Purchaser may 

specify one of the following combinations: Sec. 10.1.1 with 10.2.1 or 10.1.2 with 10.2.2.

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The vegetable salad oil 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, subtypes, styles, saturated fat levels, and agricultural practices.

2

Type I - Canola (rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, olive (refined), safflower, soybean, sesame, 

sunflower, or any other vegetable oils or combinations of these oils3

Type II - Canola (rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, olive (refined), peanut, safflower, soybean, 

sesame, sunflower, or any other vegetable oils or combinations of these oils3

Type III - Corn oil, cottonseed oil, or combination

Type IV - Soybean oil

Type V - Peanut oil

Type VI - Olive oil

Subtype A - Extra virgin

Subtype B - Virgin

Subtype C - Olive

Type VII - Other4 (as specified by the purchaser)

Style 1 - Winterized

Style 2 - Not winterized

Saturated fat level a - Low saturated fat5

Saturated fat level b - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Agricultural practice (i) - Conventional

Agricultural practice (ii) - 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).

2 Not all options are available from every manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer/distributor for availability. 3 Must comply with common or usual name of mixtures of edible fat or oil and olive oil per 21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) §102.37. 4 Codex Standard for Named Vegetable Oils, CXS 210-1999 revised in 2019. 5 Contains 1 gram (g) or less saturated fatty acids per 1 tablespoon (TBSP) – reference amount customarily consumed (RACC) and not more than 

15 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids in accordance with 21 CFR §101.62(c)(2)(i).
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5. PROCESSING GUIDELINES.

5.1 Processing. The vegetable salad oils must be processed in accordance with Current Good 

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

(21 CFR Part 117).

5.2 Food defense. The vegetable salad oils 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 vegetable salad oils are specified in the solicitation, 

contract, or purchase order, the vegetable salad oils 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.

6. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

6.1 Definitions.

6.1.1 Extra virgin olive oil. Extra virgin olive oil is the cold-pressed result of the first pressing 

of the olives and is not more than 0.8 g per 100 g of free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic 

acid.

6, 7

6.1.2 Virgin olive oil. Virgin olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly higher acidity not 

more than 2.0 g per 100 g of free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid.

6, 7

6.1.3 Olive oil. Olive oil is a combination of refined olive oil and virgin oil and is not more than 

1.0 g per 100 g of free fatty acid content, expressed as oleic acid.

6, 7

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 U.S. Standards for Grades of Olive Oil and Olive-Pomace Oil, effective October 25, 2010. 7 Codex Standard for Olive Oils and Olive Pomace Oils, CXS 33-1981 revised in 2017.
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6.3 Types of oils.

6.3.1 Type I. Type I vegetable salad oil must be refined, bleached, and deodorized canola 

(rapeseed or low erucic acid rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, olive (refined), safflower, soybean, 

sesame, sunflower, or any other vegetable oil or combination of these oils, provided they are 

processed in accordance with good commercial practices.

6.3.2 Type II. Type II vegetable salad oil must be refined, bleached, and deodorized canola 

(rapeseed or low erucic acid rapeseed), corn, cottonseed, olive (refined), peanut, safflower, 

soybean, sesame, sunflower, or any other vegetable oil or combination of these oils, provided 

they are processed in accordance with good commercial practices.

6.3.3 Type III. Type III vegetable salad oil must be either refined, bleached, and deodorized 

corn oil, cottonseed oil, or a combination of both.

6.3.4 Type IV. Type IV vegetable salad oil must be refined, bleached, and deodorized soybean 

oil.

6.3.5 Type V. Type V vegetable salad oil must be refined, bleached, and deodorized peanut oil.

6.3.6 Type VI. Type VI vegetable salad oil must be extra virgin olive oil, virgin olive oil, or 

olive oil.

6.4 Finished product. Unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract or purchase order, 

vegetable salad oils must be clear and brilliant when held at 21.1° to 29.4°C (70° to 85°F).

8

 

Heavy metal scavengers, antifoaming agents, and antioxidants can be added provided levels of 

use are in accordance with appropriate Federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 

regulations.

6.4.1 Consistency. The vegetable salad oils must have a light viscosity and must not have a 

heavy oily mouth feel.

6.4.2 Flavor and odor. The vegetable salad oil must have a clean, fresh flavor and must be free 

from rancid, beany, painty, sour, or other objectionable flavors or odors.

6.5 Foreign material. All 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.

8 Due to the inherent presence of waxes and saturated fat in cottonseed, non-dewaxed corn, and sunflower oils, these oils may not always be clear 

and brilliant at 21.1° to 29.4°C (70-85°F).
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7. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

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

purchase order, the following analytical requirements for the vegetable salad oils must conform 

to those in Table I.

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

(Sec. 10.3) or USDA certification (Sec. 10.4).

7.3 USDA verification procedures. When USDA certification (Sec. 10.4) 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 

based on USDA inspection service sampling procedures and plans (7 CFR §52.38). 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 

Official Methods of American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) or the Association of Official 

Analytical Collaboration (AOAC) International Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) as 

specified in Table I. Any result not conforming to the analytical requirements may be cause for 

rejection of the lot.
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TABLE I. Analytical requirements, testing, and reporting

Test Types I 

& II

Type 

III

Type 

IV

Type V Type VI, 

Subtype 

A

Type VI, 

Subtype 

B

Type VI 

Subtype 

C

Method Reported 

as

Free fatty acids as oleic, 

(percent) by weight, 

maximum9, 10

0.05 0.05 0.05 0.05 ≤ 0.8 ≤ 2.0 ≤ 1.0 Ca 5a-40 Nearest 

0.01 

percent

Peroxide value (PV) 

milliequivalent/kilogram 

(meq/kg), maximum9

1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 ≤ 20 ≤ 20 ≤ 15 Cd 8b-90, 

AOAC 

965.33

Nearest 0.1 

meq/kg 

Color (Lovibond), 

maximum

4 red, 20 

yellow

4 red, 

35 

yellow

2 red, 

20 

yellow

2 red, 20 

yellow

-- -- -- Cc 13e-92, 

Cc 13j-97 Nearest 

whole 

number

Stability, Oil Stability 

Index at 110°C (OSI), 

minimum9

5 hours 6 hours 8 hours 5 hours -- -- -- Cd 12b-92 Nearest 

whole 

number

Linolenic acid (percent 

by weight), maximum11 -- 1.5 3.5 -- ≤ 1.5 ≤ 1.5 ≤ 1.5 Ce 1f-96,

Ce 1h-05,

AOAC 

963.22

Nearest 0.1 

percent

9 Determination shall be made within seven days after packaging. Samples submitted for testing shall be in a filled container. 10 Maximum of 0.06 percent free fatty acid will be acceptable if propyl gallate is added as an antioxidant. 11 Determined by gas chromatography of methyl esters of fatty acids.
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Test Types I 

& II

Type 

III

Type 

IV

Type V Type VI, 

Subtype 

A

Type VI, 

Subtype 

B

Type VI 

Subtype 

C

Method Reported 

as

Iodine value -- -- 105-120 -- -- 75-94 75-94 Cd 1d-92, 

Cd 1c-85

Nearest 

whole 

number

Heavy Metals: Lead 

milligram (mg)/kg12, 13

0.08 0.08 0.08 0.08 0.1 0.1 0.1

Ca 18c-91,

Ca 17a-18,

AOAC 

994.02, 

2013.06

Nearest 

0.01 mg/kg

Heavy Metals: Arsenic

mg/kg 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1

AOAC 

2013.06

Nearest 

0.01 mg/kg

Halogenated Solvents

mg/kg Maximum content of each halogenated solvent 0.1 mg/kg

Maximum content of all halogenated solvents 0.2 mg/kg

Ca 3c-01 Nearest 

0.01 mg/kg

12 Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed, CXS 193-1995 amended in 2019. 13 See footnote 6 on page 3.
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8. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S PRODUCT ASSURANCE. The manufacturer/ 

distributor must certify that the vegetable salad oils provided meet the salient characteristics of 

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

the same vegetable salad oils offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves 

the right to require proof of conformance.

9. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered vegetable salad oils 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 vegetable salad oils in the 

commercial marketplace. Delivered vegetable salad oils must comply with all applicable 

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

Labeling Act, 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 FALCPA for any product which contains wheat, fish, milk, soy14, tree nuts, eggs, 

peanuts14, and Crustacean shellfish or those in effect on the date of the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order. 

10. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser must specify 10.3, or 10.4. 

Purchaser may specify one of the following combinations: 10.1.1 with 10.2.1, or 10.1.2 with 

10.2.2.

10.1 Food defense. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a Food 

Defense Systems Survey (FDSS) or audit must be conducted by USDA, Agricultural Marketing 

Service (AMS), Specialty Crops Program (SCP), Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division. 

Food defense requirements include a documented and operational food defense plan that 

provides for the security of a plant’s production processes and includes the storage and 

transportation of pre-production raw materials and other ingredients and post-production finished 

product. The plan must address the following areas: (1) food security plan management; (2) 

outside and inside security of the production and storage facilities; (3) processing, including all 

raw material sources; (4) shipping and receiving; (5) storage; (6) water and ice supply; (7) mail 

handling; (8) personnel security; and (9) transportation, shipping, and receiving.

10.1.1 FDSS. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a FDSS must be 

conducted by USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division. The FDSS verifies that operators of food 

establishments have implemented measures to minimize the risk of tampering or other criminal 

actions against the food under their control. An AMS FDSS verifies the participating company’s 

adherence to Mitigation Strategies to Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration (21 CFR 

Part 121).

14 If vegetable oil is from an allergenic source but highly refined, FALCPA would not apply. Most commercial vegetable oils are refined, 

bleached, and deodorized. Such processes are known to remove allergens that may be present. Thus, soybean and peanut oils refined in this way 

are not subject to FALCPA labeling.
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10.1.2 Food defense section of the Plant Systems Audit (PSA). When required in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a food defense audit will be conducted as part of the 

PSA. The audit will be conducted by USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division auditors. This verifies 

that operators of food establishments have implemented measures to minimize the risk of 

tampering or other criminal actions against the food under their control. The food defense 

section of the PSA verifies the participating company’s adherence to Mitigation Strategies to 

Protect Food Against Intentional Adulteration (21 CFR Part 121).

10.2 Manufacturer’s quality assurance. When required in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the product manufacturer will be required to provide evidence, by certificate that 

the manufacturing plant has undertaken one of the following quality assurance measures within 

12 months prior to providing a bid or no later than 10 business days from the date of the 

awarding of the contract. Failure to provide this documentation within the proper time frame 

may result in the contract being terminated for cause.

10.2.1 Plant survey. A plant survey conducted by USDA, AMS is required within 12 months 

prior to the date of the awarding of the contract. The plant survey audit 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).

10.2.2 PSA. A PSA conducted by USDA, AMS is required within 12 months prior to the date 

of the awarding of the contract. The PSA verifies the manufacturer's capability to produce 

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 verifies that the manufacturer has in place an internal quality assurance program.

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

or purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor must certify that the vegetable salad oils

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 vegetable salad oils meet the analytical requirements specified in Sec. 7 of 

this CID.

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division 

inspectors, must be the certifying program. SCI Division inspectors must certify the quality and 

acceptability of the vegetable salad oils in accordance with SCI Division procedures, which 

include selecting random samples of the vegetable salad oils, 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 SCI Division score sheets 

and/or certificates. In addition, when required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, 
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SCI Division inspectors will examine the vegetable salad oils 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. 10.4 is specified in the solicitation, contract, 

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

of samples of vegetable salad oils 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 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order).

13. REFERENCE NOTES.

13.1 USDA services.

13.1.1 USDA certification. For USDA certification contact: National Program Mission 

Support, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, via E-mail: SCIinspectionoperations@usda.gov.

13.1.2 USDA FDSS, plant survey, and PSA. For a USDA FDSS, plant survey, and PSA 

contact the Chief, Auditing Services Branch, SCI Division, SCP, AMS, USDA, Room 1566

South Building, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-

0247, telephone (202) 720-5021, fax (866) 230-9168, or via E-mail: SCAudits@usda.gov.

13.1.3 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.
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13.2 Sources of documents.

13.2.1 Sources of information for nongovernmental documents are as follows:

Copies of the Official Methods of the American Oil Chemists’ Society may be obtained from: 

AOCS, P.O. Box 17190, Urbana, IL 61803-7190, telephone (217) 359-2344 or Fax (217) 

351-8091. Internet address: http://www.aocs.org.

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.

Copies of the Codex Alimentarius standards may be downloaded free from: Codex 

Alimentarius, U.S. Codex Office, Room 4861 South Building, Food Safety and Inspection 

Service, USDA, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-3700, telephone 

(202) 205-7760 or (202) 720-2057, fax (202) 720-3157. Internet address: 

http://www.fao.org/fao-who-codexalimentarius/codex-texts/list-standards/en/.

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 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.

Copies of U.S. standards and inspection instructions for fruits, vegetables, and other specialty 

products may be obtained from: USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division, 100 Riverside Parkway, 

Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406, telephone (650) 552-9073, fax (650) 552-9147, or via 

E-mail: FVSupplyDepot@usda.gov or on the Internet at:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/how-purchase-equipment-and-visual-aids
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Questions and comments on the U.S. standards and inspection instructions for fruits, vegetables, 

and other specialty products may be directed to: USDA, AMS, SCP, SCI Division, Riverside 

Business Park, 100 Riverside Parkway, Suite 101, Fredericksburg, VA 22406-1016 or on 

the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards.

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-2015-title7-vol2/pdf/CFR-2015-title7-vol2-

part42.pdf.

CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITY:

DOJ - BOP

HHS - FDA

USDA - SCP

VA - OSS

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

USDA - SCP

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