FSC 8940 

A-A-20370 

March 7, 2014 

 

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION 

GRAVY, SHELF STABLE, READY-TO-USE

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

the use of this Commercial Item Description (CID). 

1. SCOPE. This CID covers ready-to-use shelf stable gravy (gravy) packed in commercially 

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

parties. Please note: This document is not associated with Federal nutrition assistance 

programs and does not guarantee purchase of this item by USDA.1

2. PURCHASER NOTES. 

2.1 Purchasers must specify the following: 

 - Type(s), style(s), package type(s), size(s) and agricultural practice(s) of gravy desired 

(Sec. 3). 

 - Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 9.3) or USDA certification (Sec. 9.4). 

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

 - Food Defense (Sec. 9.1) and Manufacturer’s Quality Assurance (Sec. 9.2). Purchaser may 

specify one of the following combinations: Sec. 9.1.1 with 9.2.1 or 9.1.2 with 9.2.2. 

 - Manufacturer’s quality assurance (Sec. 9.2 with 9.2.1) or (Sec. 9.2 with 9.2.2). 

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The gravy must conform to the following list which must be specified 

in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order. 

Types, styles, package types, sizes, and agricultural practices.2

Type I - Beef (must meet the requirements for gravies)3

Type II - Chicken 

Type III - Turkey 

 

1

 For USDA purchase specifications please visit the following websites: Commodity Purchase Specifications for Agricultural Marketing Service 

(AMS) and Commodity Purchase Specifications for Farm Service Agency (FSA). 2

 Not all options are available from every manufacturer. Check with the manufacturer/distributor for availability. 3

 USDA, FSIS, Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book. http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oppde/larc/policies/labeling_policy_book_082005.pdf. 

METRIC
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Type IV - Pork (must meet the requirements for gravies)3

Type V - Sausage (must meet the requirements for gravies)3

Type VI - Mushroom 

Type VII - Brown (does not meet the minimum requirements for amenability)3

Type VIII - Other (as specified by the purchaser)

Style A - Regular 

Style B - Fat free (21 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 101.62(b)(1) if the gravy is a Food 

and Drug Administration (FDA) regulated food; 9 CFR 317.362 or 381.462 if the 

gravy is a Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) regulated food4,5)

Style C - Other (as specified by the purchaser) 

Package type 1 - Can 

Package type 2 - Jar 

Package type 3 - Carton 

Package type 4 - Other (as specified by the purchaser) 

Size a - 291 - 298 g (10 1⁄4 oz - 10 1⁄2 oz) 

Size b - 340 g (12 oz) 

Size c - 473 mL (16 fl oz) 

Size d - 510 g (18 oz) 

Size e - 1.4 kg (48 - 50 oz) 

Size f - 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). 

 - 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. PROCESSING GUIDELINES.

 

4

 FSIS inspected gravies include Types I, IV, V, and Types II and III when they meet the requirements of a poultry product as defined in 9 CFR 

381.1. 

5

 FDA inspected gravies include Types VI, VII, and Types II and III when they contain poultry ingredients only in a relatively small proportion 

as stated in 9 CFR 181.15(e) and are exempt from the definition of a poultry product.
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5.1 Processing. If the gravy is an FSIS-regulated food, the gravy must be processed in 

accordance with regulatory requirements under the Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry 

Products Inspection Act (9 CFR Parts 416 and 417) and must be processed such that the gravy is 

considered shelf stable/commercially sterile (9 CFR 381.301(u)).4

 If the gravy is an FDAregulated food, the gravy must be processed in accordance with Current Good Manufacturing 

Practices (21 CFR Part 110) and must be processed such that the gravy is considered shelf 

stable/commercially sterile.5

5.2 Food security. If the gravy is an FSIS regulated food, the gravy 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.Error! Bookmark not defined.,6 If the gravy is 

an FDA regulated food, the gravy must be processed and transported in accordance with the 

FDA’s Guidance for Industry: Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security 

Preventive Measures Guidance.Error! Bookmark not defined.,7 This guidance 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 security preventive measures provides for the 

security of a plant’s production processes and includes the storage and transportation of preproduction raw materials, other ingredients, and postproduction finished product. 

5.3 Organic ingredients. When organic gravy is specified in the solicitation, contract, or 

purchase order, the gravy 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 Ingredients. The gravy must contain a starchy thickener such as, but not limited to, wheat 

flour, modified food starch, or modified cornstarch. All ingredients must be declared by their 

common or usual names in descending order of predominance by weight (9 CFR 317.2 or 9 CFR 

Subpart N for FSIS regulated gravies; 21 CFR § 101.4(a)) for FDA regulated gravies;).Error! 

Bookmark not defined.,Error! Bookmark not defined.

6.1.1 Types I, IV, and V. The Types I, IV, and V gravies must contain meat ingredients of the 

specified meat type in amounts that meet the requirements for gravies as specified in the USDA, 

FSIS Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book.3

 

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

7 http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/FoodDefense/ucm083075.htm. 
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6.1.2 Type II. Type II, Chicken gravy must contain chicken ingredients.8

6.1.3 Type III. The Type III, Turkey gravy must contain turkey ingredients.8

6.1.4 Type VI. The Type VI, Mushroom gravy must contain mushrooms. 

6.1.5 Type VII. The Type VII, Brown gravy must contain beef stock but does not meet the 

minimum requirements for amenability as defined in the FSIS Food Standards and Labeling 

Policy Book.3 

6.2 Additional ingredients. The gravy may contain additional ingredients such as flavorings, 

emulsifiers, and stabilizers as permitted by the FSIS or FDA when applicable. When used, the 

additional ingredients must be of Food Chemicals Codex purity or US Pharmacopeia-National 

Formulary quality and meet the related FDA regulations on food additives or generally 

recognized as safe (GRAS) requirements (21 CFR Part 170). 

6.3 Finished product. 

6.3.1 Texture. The gravy must be a smooth, homogenous mixture, and must be free of lumps 

except pieces of meat or mushrooms, as applicable. The gravy must not be excessively thin, 

runny, thick, or pasty. 

6.3.2 Flavor and aroma. The gravy must have a flavor and aroma characteristic of gravy of the 

specified type. There must be no foreign flavors or odors, such as, but not limited to, burnt, 

scorched, or rancid. 

6.3.3 Color. The gravy must have an off white, pale yellow-tan, tan, light brown, or brown 

color characteristic of gravy of the specified type. There must be no off colors or noticeably dark 

(scorched) portions of gravy. 

6.3.4 Foreign material. All ingredients and the finished gravy must be clean, sound, 

wholesome, and free from foreign material such as, but not limited to hair, plastic pieces, metal 

contaminants, and evidence of rodent or insect infestation. 

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

distributor must certify that the gravy provided will meet the salient characteristics of this CID, 

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

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

proof of conformance. 

 

8

 If the gravy contains poultry ingredients in amounts that meet the requirements of a poultry product as defined in 9 CFR 381.1, then the gravy is 

an FSIS regulated product. If the gravy contains poultry ingredients in a relatively small proportion as defined in 9 CFR 381.15, it is exempt 

from the definition of a poultry product and is an FDA regulated product.
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8. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. When applicable, the meat component and the 

finished product must originate and be produced, processed, and stored in compliance with all 

applicable provisions of the Federal Meat Inspection Act and regulations promulgated 

thereunder. When applicable, the poultry component and the finished product must originate and 

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

Products Inspection Act and regulations promulgated thereunder (9 CFR Part 381). The 

delivered gravy must comply with all applicable Federal and State mandatory requirements and 

regulations relating to the preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of the 

gravy in the commercial marketplace. Delivered gravy must comply with all applicable 

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

and regulations promulgated thereunder. When the gravy is used for the National School Lunch 

Program, the gravy must comply with all applicable provisions of the Child Nutrition (CN) 

Program. When a CN label is specified, the label must be approved in its final format by the 

Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). 

9. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser must specify 9.3, or 9.4; purchaser 

may specify one of the following combinations: Sec. 9.1.1 with 9.2.1 or 9.1.2 with 9.2.2. 

9.1 Food defense. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a FDSS must 

be conducted by USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS), Fruit and Vegetable Program 

(FV), 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 postproduction 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) slaughter, when applicable, and 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.

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

conducted by USDA, AMS, FV, 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 the FDA’s “Guidance for Industry - Food Producers, Processors, and 

Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance.”) For further information, see 

Sec. 12.1 and 12.3.2. 

9.1.2 Food defense addendum to PSA. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order, a food defense addendum must be conducted by USDA, AMS, FV, 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. (An AMS, FDSS, 

PSA verifies the participating company’s adherence to the FDA’s “Guidance for Industry - Food 
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Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security Preventive Measures Guidance.”) For 

further information, see Sec. 12.1 and 12.3.2. 

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

purchase order, the product manufacturer must 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. 

9.2.1 Plant survey. A plant survey conducted by USDA, AMS, or other survey performed by a 

third party auditing service is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the 

contract. (An AMS plant survey audit verifies that, at the time of the survey, the manufacturer 

produces products in a clean sanitary environment in accordance with 21 CFR Part 110 - 

Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food.) 

9.2.2 PSA. A PSA conducted by USDA, AMS, or other audit performed by a third party 

auditing service is required within 12 months prior to the date of the awarding of the contract. 

(An AMS PSA verifies the manufacturer's capability to produce products in a clean sanitary 

environment in accordance with 21 CFR Part 110 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice in 

Manufacturing, Packing, or Holding Human Food, and verifies that the manufacturer has in 

place an internal quality assurance program.) 

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

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor must certify that the gravy distributed meets or 

exceeds the requirements of this CID. 

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

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

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

acceptability of the gravy in accordance with SCI Division procedures, which include selecting 

random samples of the gravy, evaluating the samples for conformance with the salient 

characteristics 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, SCI Division inspectors will examine the gravy for 

conformance to the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers (7 CFR Part 42) in effect 

on the date of the solicitation. 

10. 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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11. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 9.4 is specified in the solicitation, 

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

condition of samples of gravy and compliance with requirements in the following areas:

 - Processing guidelines (Sec. 5). 

 - Salient characteristics (Sec. 6). 

 - Packaging requirements (Sec. 10 or as specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase 

order). 

12. REFERENCE NOTES.

12.1 USDA certification, FDSS, Plant Survey, and PSA contact. For a USDA certification, 

FDSS, Plant Survey, and PSA, contact the Chief, Inspection Branch, SCI Division, FV, AMS, 

USDA, 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. 

12.2 Sources of documents.

12.2.1 Sources of information for nongovernmental documents are as follows:

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. 

12.2.2 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 Federal Meat Inspection Act and the Poultry Product Inspection Act are 

contained in 9 CFR, 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 the USDA, FSIS Food Standards and Labeling Policy Book are available online from: 

USDA, FSIS at: 

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/OPPDE/larc/Policies/Labeling_Policy_Book_082005.pdf. 
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Copies of Food Defense Guidelines for the Transportation and Distribution of Meat, Poultry, and 

Processed Egg Products are available online from: USDA, FSIS at: 

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

Copies of Guidance for Industry - Food Producers, Processors, and Transporters: Food Security 

Preventive Measures Guidance are available online from: FDA, Center for Food Safety and 

Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) at: 

http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation

/FoodDefense/ucm083075.htm. 

Copies of this CID, the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers (7 CFR Part 42), and 

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

which may improve this CID are available from or provided to: Chief, Standardization 

Branch, SCI Division, FV, AMS, USDA, STOP 240, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, 

Washington, DC 20250-0240, telephone (202) 720-5021, Fax (202) 690-1527, via E-mail: 

CIDS@ams.usda.gov or on the Internet at: 

www.ams.usda.gov/CommercialItemDescription.

CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

 DOJ - BOP 

 HHS - FDA 

 USDA - FV 

 VA - OSS 

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

 USDA - FV 

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