Marketing and

Regulatory

Programs

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Program

Specialty 

Crops 

Inspection

Division

Commodity Specification 

Fresh Fruit

August 2014
SCI Division Commodity Specifications Fresh Fruit

Effective Date: Augaust 2014 Page 2 of 11

Table of Contents

I. GENERAL.............................................................................................................................. 3

A. U.S. Standards...................................................................................................................... 3

B. Exceptions to U.S. Standards............................................................................................... 3

C. Product Origin ...................................................................................................................... 3

D. Kosher Products ................................................................................................................... 4

E. Packing Season..................................................................................................................... 4

F. Containers and Packing ........................................................................................................ 4

G. Palletization Requirements................................................................................................... 5

H. Prerequisites ......................................................................................................................... 6

I. Shipment and Delivery......................................................................................................... 6

II. INDIVIDUAL COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS........................................................... 6

A. Fresh Apples......................................................................................................................... 6

B. Fresh Cut Apple Slices......................................................................................................... 7

C. Cantaloupes.......................................................................................................................... 9

D. Pears ..................................................................................................................................... 9

III. INSPECTION....................................................................................................................... 10

A. Requirements (Apples)....................................................................................................... 10

B. Requirements (Cantaloupes, Pears, and Fresh Cut Apple Slices)...................................... 10

C. Procedures.......................................................................................................................... 11

IV. FAILURE TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS ....................................................................... 11
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 3 of 11

I. General

A. U.S. Standards

Fresh fruit (product/commodity) produced under this Commodity Specification must 

meet the requirements specified in the applicable United States Standards for Grades or 

Commercial Item Description (CID) effective on the date of the Solicitation/Invitation for 

Bid (IFB). The U.S. Standards are published separately and are incorporated herein and 

made a part of this Commodity Specification.

B. Exceptions to U.S. Standards

Additional exceptions may be specified in the applicable Solicitation/IFB. Any 

exceptions contained in the applicable Solicitation/IFB shall have precedence over the 

requirements contained herein, for that Solicitation/IFB only.

C. Product Origin

1. Commodities delivered pursuant to this Commodity Specification shall have 

originated from crops that have been 100 percent grown, processed, and packed in 

the United States, its territories or possessions, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, 

or the Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands, (hereinafter referred to as the United 

States). See Section I., F. of the Master Solicitation.

2. If the contractor handles any commodity originating from sources other than the 

United States, the contractor must have a written plan to segregate the commodity. 

This segregation plan will include an identification and record system for all 

commodities to ensure they are completely segregated and cannot be used to fulfill 

purchase orders awarded by USDA. Such segregation plan must be made available, 

within 10 days of purchase order award, to representatives of the Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS).

3. The contractor must maintain positive written documentation records evidencing 100 

percent domestic origin to the grower level. Contractors must also ensure that the 

documentation provided by any subcontractors demonstrates the same level of 

traceability. The burden of proof of compliance is on the contractor.

Documentation may include load or warehouse storage receipts for raw product (i.e., 

bin tags), product blend (formulation) records, product coding explanations, finished 

product warehousing records, shipping or payment records, or other documentation 

or evidence that clearly establishes the product's domestic origin.

4. Contractors must provide the domestic origin certification and supporting 

documentation records to representatives of the AMS Fruit and Vegetable Program, 

Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division (USDA Grader) when requesting 

inspection service.
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 4 of 11

USDA graders will select and review at least one code for each purchase order to 

determine compliance with the Agency's domestic origin requirements.

5. Such records must be available for review by the Government in accordance with 

FAR 52.214-26. In the event of an audit, AMS auditors will examine as many codes 

as is necessary to verify compliance.

6. Self-certifications by contractors and subcontractors will not be accepted.

7. Failure to observe this requirement may lead to suspension or debarment, purchase 

order termination, and penalties at Title 18, Section 1001 of the U.S. Code 

concerning falsification of information.

D. Kosher Products

Occasionally, USDA solicits offers to sell KOSHER products. Such products are 

identified on the solicitation with the letter “K” incorporated into the WBSCM material 

descriptions. Vendors must comply with the applicable dietary (KOSHER) laws as 

established by the “613 COUNCIL OF KASHRUTH” in the production of these 

commodity products. Vendors must not bid on these purchase units unless they can be 

properly certified.

Vendors receiving purchase order items identified as “KOSHER” must contact the Board 

of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) at telephone 646-472-5365 prior to 

manufacturing the commodity product to arrange for certification of compliance with the 

applicable dietary (kosher) laws.

E. Packing Season 

All fresh fruit must be from the current packing season/crop year, unless otherwise 

specified in the applicable Solicitation/IFB. 

F. Containers and Packing

Primary Containers (Cartons):

All products shall be packed in new, good, clean, commercially labeled primary 

containers which meet all applicable FDA requirements and contain a code which allows 

traceability of the product in the event of a recall. The containers shall be constructed as 

to ensure acceptance by common carrier or other carrier for safe transportation for 

domestic shipment.

In addition to any commercial markings, each primary container shall show the grower of 

shipper name(s) and address. In the case of apples and pears: the variety, size by count, 

and grade (state grade may be shown if in compliance with paragraph II) shall be shown 

on the primary container. 
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G. Palletization Requirements

1. Pallets

Products must be on 48 X 40 inch, non-reversible, flush stringer, and partial fourway entry. New pallets must be good quality wood. Used pallets must be No.1 

hardwood or its equivalent in new softwood. Broken or damaged pallets are 

unacceptable. If pallet exchange is desired, the contractor shall arrange for pallet 

exchange with consignees. USDA is in no way responsible for arrangement of pallet 

exchange.

2. Unitization

Each delivery unit of fresh citrus must be unitized. Shipping cases must be stacked 

and secured from top to bottom, so that each container and layer of containers 

becomes an integral part of the pallet. Either stretch wrapping with plastic film or 

“lock ‘n pop” is acceptable. The palletized product must be loaded in the conveyance 

in such a way that will prevent shifting and damage to the containers of product.

H. Prerequisites

1. Vendors and /or suppliers providing fresh fruit shall participate in and pass an 

Agricultural Marketing Service, Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) and Good 

Handling Practices (GHP) Verification Audit. Verification Audits shall be 

performed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS), Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FVP), Fresh Products 

Division (FPD).

All scopes of the audit applicable to the operation must be completed. For instance, 

if a grower has a storage facility on their farm where apples are stored prior to 

sending them to the sliced apple vendor, then the appropriate section of the audit 

must be completed.

A copy of the GAP&GHP Audit Verification checklist is available on the USDA 

website at www.ams.usda.gov/gapghp, or from your local USDA or Federal-State 

inspection office.

2. Vendors supplying finished product (i.e. fresh cut apple slices) are required to 

undergo an annual Plant Survey and Food Defense System Survey, or Plant Systems 

Audit (PSA) which shall be performed by the USDA, AMS, FV, Processed Products 

Branch (PPB).

3. Vendors supplying finished product (i.e. fresh cut apple slices) must have a written 

Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) based food safety plan in place.

The HACCP plan shall include a microbiological testing program for the following: 

Total Aerobic (Standard) Plate count (TPC), E. coli 0157:H7, Listeria

monocytogenes, and Salmonella on the finished packaged product, and 

microbiological testing for TPC, E. coli, and Listeria on the antioxidant solution.
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 6 of 11

Microbial testing shall be performed on each lot or days production. The following 

tolerances must be met.

 TPC - Less than 10,000 per Gram

E.coli 0157:H7 - 0 tolerance

Listeria monocytogenes - 0 tolerance

Salmonella - 0 tolerance

**The Fruit and Vegetable Program, Processed Products Division must verify the 

vendors HACCP plan by performing a HACCP Verification Survey. **

H. Shipment and Delivery

1. Contractor will be allowed a tolerance on the final delivery of plus or minus 50 cases 

of product from each shipping point named in the purchase order.

II. Individual Commodity Specifications

A. Fresh Apples

1. Grade - U.S. Fancy. (State grades will be acceptable provided the apples meet the 

requirements of the U.S. Fancy Grade). 

2. Types of Pack and Size Requirement:

(a) Tray pack - minimum size 150; maximum size- 100

(b) Cell pack – minimum size 140; maximum size – 96

3. Apples in each offer unit ordered delivered by USDA shall contain product of not 

more than three (3) adjacent sizes nor be in more than three locations at the time of 

inspection. Each size shall be segregated in the shipment with a minimum of 

intermingling of the sizes. If shipment is by truck, the location and count of each 

size in the truck (front, center, and tail) shall be noted on the shipping manifest by 

the contractor.

4. Apples shall also meet the United States Condition Standards for Export.

5. Tenderness and Maturity – not more than an average of five percent in any lot and 

ten percent in individual containers may be further advanced in maturity than firm 

ripe. 

6. Must be loaded into a refrigerated trailer capable of holding air temperature not to 

exceed 40° F.

7. Refrigerated shipment at 34° to 40° F.
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B. Fresh Cut Apple Slices

FRUIT QUALITY ASSESSMENT:

1. Shelf life - The sliced apples shall have a minimum shelf life of 14 days from the 

date of production.

2. Style of apples - Slices means apples consisting of slices of apples cut longitudinally

and radially from the core axis.

3. Quality factors - Good Quality is the quality of sliced apples that possess similar 

varietal characteristics; that possess a good flavor; that possess a good color; that 

are practically uniform in size; that are practically free from defects; that possess 

a good character; based on a 16 ounce sample.

4. Flavor - Good flavor means that the product possesses a good, characteristic normal 

flavor and odor, characteristic of well ripened apples of the applicable variety, and is 

free from objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any kind.

5. Color - Good color means that the sliced apples, internally and externally, possess a 

reasonably uniform bright color, characteristic of apples of similar varieties.

6. Size - The factor of size refers to the degree of wholeness and to the uniformity of 

thickness of the units.

(a) Practically whole slice means that the slice may be cut or broken but at least 3/4 

of the original slice remains.

(b) Practically uniform in size means that: At least 90 percent, by weight, of the 

product consists of whole or practically whole slices of 1-1/4 inches in length or 

longer, and at least 90 percent, by weight, of the product consists of units of the 

most uniform thickness, the thickness of the slices may range from 3/8 inch to 

3/4 inches and does not vary more than 1/4 inch.

7. Defects - The factor of defects refers to the degree of freedom from harmless

extraneous matter, from damaged or seriously damaged units, and from carpel tissue. 

Practically free from defects means that harmless extraneous matter may be present 

that does not materially affect the appearance or eating quality of the product; that 

the product is practically free from carpel tissue; and that not more than a total of 5 

percent, by weight, of the units may be damaged, of which not more than 1 percent, 

by weight, of all the units may be seriously damaged: Provided, that extraneous 

matter, damaged and seriously damaged units, singly or in combination, do not

materially affect the appearance or eating quality of the product for each 16 ounce 

sample.
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 8 of 11

(a) Harmless extraneous matter (HEM) means any vegetative portion of the apple 

(including, but not being limited to, a leaf, stem, or portions thereof, cores and 

portions of cores, and seeds), that is harmless.

(b) Damaged unit means any unit possessing light brown bruise that exceeds the area 

of a circle 1/2 inch in diameter or which is more than 1/4 inch deep, and any unit 

in which the appearance or eating quality is materially affected by blossom end

material, dark brown bruise, or other internal or external discoloration, or by any 

other means.

(c) Seriously damaged unit means any unit damaged to such an extent that the 

appearance or eating quality is seriously affected.

(d) Practically free from carpel tissue means that for each 16 ounces of the product, 

the carpel tissue present does not exceed in the aggregate an area equal to 3/4 

square inch.

8. Character - The factor of character refers to the texture of the units and the tendency 

to retain their conformation without material softening or disintegration and is firm 

but not hard.

(a) Mushy apples mean slices or units or portions thereof that are overripe and with 

flesh very mealy or soft.

(b) Good character means that the units possess a reasonably uniform texture, are 

firm but not hard, with not more than 3 percent of the weight of the product 

consisting of mushy apples. 

9. Packing, Labels and Packaging:

(a) The shipping cases must contain either: 64/2 ounce, 100/2 ounce, or 200/2 

ounce bags.

(b) Labels may be the vendors own commercially acceptable “brand” unless 

prohibited by the Solicitation/IFB. Distributor’s “brand” labels are not 

acceptable.

(c) Primary Containers shall be new commercially acceptable bags which meet all 

applicable FDA requirements, that are heat-sealed, that afford adequate 

protection of the product, and are the size and type specified in the applicable 

Solicitation/IFB. The bags shall be suitably code marked so that the product can 

be identified and allows traceability of the product in the event of a recall. The 

bags shall be marked with the 14 day shelf life by using the “date”, “Use by”, 

“Best Before”, or “Sell by”. Other commercial markings are acceptable.

(d) Secondary Containers shall be new commercially acceptable good quality 

domestic corrugated fiberboard cases. Cases shall be suitably code marked so 

that the product can be identified and shall be marked with the 14 day shelf life 
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 9 of 11

by using the “date”, “Use by”, “Best Before”, or “Sell by”. “Keep 

Refrigerated” shall be clearly printed on each case. Other commercial markings 

are acceptable. 

10. Must be loaded into a refrigerated trailer capable of holding air temperature not to 

exceed 38° F.

11. Refrigerated shipment at 32° to 38° F.

 

C. Cantaloupes

1. Grade – U.S. No.1 or better (en route or at destination tolerances apply).

2. Types of pack and size requirements – Cartons – 9, 12, or 15 count only.

3. Cantaloupes in each offer unit ordered delivered by USDA shall not originate from 

more than three locations. Each size shall be segregated in the shipment with a 

minimum of intermingling of the sizes. If shipment is by truck, the contractor shall 

note the location and count of each size in the truck (front, center and tail) on the 

shipping manifest.

4. Shall be no further advanced in firmness than ripe and firm.

5. Must be loaded into a refrigerated trailer capable of holding air temperature not to

exceed 40° F.

6. Refrigerated shipment at 34° to 40° F. 

D. Pears

1. Grade - U.S. No. 2. Provided that the pears do not contain more than five percent

condition defects, including not more than a total of two percent decay and/or 

internal breakdown. State Grades will be acceptable provided that the pears meet the 

minimum requirements of U.S. No. 2 Grade (i.e. Oregon/Washington Fancy).

2. Tenderness and Maturity - not more than an average of 10 percent of the pears in 

any lot or more than 15 percent in any container, may be further advanced in stages 

of ripeness than firm. 

3. Pack and Size Requirement:

(a) Tray pack - minimum size 165; maximum size- 90.

(b) Wrapped pack – minimum size 165; maximum size - 90.

4. Pears in each offer unit ordered delivered by USDA shall contain product of not 

more than three (3) adjacent sizes nor originate from more than three locations. 

Each size shall be segregated in the shipment with a minimum of intermingling of 

the sizes. 

If shipment is by truck, the location and count of each size in the truck (front, center, 

and tail) shall be noted on the shipping manifest by the contractor.
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Effective Date: August 2014 Page 10 of 11

5. The grade, quality, condition, count, size pack, and the stage of firmness 

requirements referred to herein are defined in United States Standards for Grades 

of Summer and Fall Pears, and the United States Standards for Grades of 

Winter Pears.

6. Must be loaded into a refrigerated trailer capable of holding air temperature not to 

exceed 40° F.

7. Refrigerated shipment at 34° to 40° F.

III. Inspection

A. Requirements (Apples)

Representatives of the AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program, SCI Division (USDA Grader) 

must perform the inspection. See section X of the Master Solicitation. 

Inspection of fresh apples must be performed at shipping point within 48 hours prior 

to shipment. Whether each lot offered meets the product and container requirements of 

the purchase order must be determined on the basis of representative sample units. 

Representative sample units will be graded according to the Regulations Governing 

Inspection and Certification of Fresh Fruit and Related Products (7 C.F.R. part 51), and 

United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers (7 C.F.R. part 42.140), 

effective on the date of the Solicitation/IFB.

The fresh apples shall be inspected, certified, count (number) of packages verified, and 

Positive Lot Identified by the Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service in accordance 

with the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (see section X of the Master Solicitation). 

The acceptability of the quality and packaging of the product must be evidenced by 

certificates issued by the USDA Grader. 

No product shall be shipped unless the USDA Grader informs the Contractor that a 

designated lot is acceptable. Notice by the USDA Grader that a designated lot scheduled 

for shipment does not meet requirements of the purchase order shall constitute rejection 

of such lot.

B. Requirements (Cantaloupes and Pears) 

Inspection of fresh cantaloupes, and pears must be performed at destination in 

accordance with the same requirements stated in paragraph “A” of this section with the 

exception of Positive Lot Identification. USDA, AMS, Fruit and Vegetable Program,

Specialty Crops Inspection (SCI) Division (USDA Grader) must perform the inspection 

required see section X of the Master Solicitation. The count (number) of packages shall 

be certified by Federal or Federal-State Inspection Service (see section X of the Master 

Solicitation). The acceptability of the quality and packaging of the product must be 

evidenced by certificates issued by the USDA Grader. Representative sample units will 

be graded according to the Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Fresh 
SCI Division Commodity Specifications Fresh Fruit

Effective Date: August 2014 Page 11 of 11

Fruit and Related Products (7 C.F.R. part 51), and United States Standards for Condition 

of Food Containers (7 C.F.R. part 42.140), effective on the date of the Solicitation/IFB.

C. Procedures

The Contractor must give the USDA Inspector at least 72 hours advance notice when 

scheduling inspection service.

Contractors are encouraged to submit requests for inspection in writing via form FV-237 

(Record of Request for Inspection or Re-inspection of Food Products) with verifiable 

receipt notice, such as fax log, to alleviate possible miscommunication.

Requests can also be made electronically using the following link: 

http://eforms.ams.usda.gov/#CustomersFV

IV. Failure to Meet Specifications

Any lot which fails applicable specifications prescribed herein will be rejected as not 

acceptable for delivery. If any lot of fresh fruit fails to meet the product or packaging 

requirement, the Contractor may request in writing that USDA accept delivery of the lot. 

USDA may, at its option, accept delivery, provided that the purchase price is the 

purchase order price less a discount, to be determined by the Contracting Officer.