Agricultural Marketing Service

Commodity Procurement Program

P.O. Box 419205, Mailstop 8718

Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

MC11

MACARONI AND CHEESE

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: October 2019

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

MACARONI AND CHEESE

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS............................................................................... 1

Section 1.1 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS........................................................................................1

Section 1.2 WARRANTY .....................................................................................................................1

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE..................................................................................................1

Part 2 CONTAINERAND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS................................................ 1

Section 2.1 GENERAL..........................................................................................................................1

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING.......................................................................................1

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS ANDMATERIALS ................................................................................2

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION..................................................................................................................2
1

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 PRODUCT REQUIREMENTS

A. The delivered product shall meet the requirements as specified in the Macaroni and 

Cheese Mix Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-20308B (May 23, 2019) 

available https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/cid/dairy-eggs. and shall 

include the following components:

(1) Enriched Macaroni Product (as defined in 21 CFR 139.115)

• Enriched wheat flour (Semolina, Durum, All Purpose, Flour 

made from hard red spring wheat, or any combination of the 

above) 

• All wheat shall be tested for vomitoxin in accordance with 

procedures approved by Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS). 

Any wheat testing higher than 2 parts per million (p.p.m.) shall not 

be used in production of the commodity. The final product shall 

not contain more than 1 p.p.m. of vomitoxin.

(2) Dehydrated Cheddar Cheese Sauce

• Dry cheese mix shall meet the minimum weight requirement of 

1.25 ounces. 

Section 1.2 WARRANTY

The product shall have a shelf life of at least one year from date of manufacturer. 

Product shall not be manufactured more than 60 days prior to shipping.

Section 1.3 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. The contractor shall perform the product testing and quality analysis to 

ensure that the product meets the commodity specifications. The results 

shall be evidenced by a Certificate of Analysis (COA) maintained by the 

contractor.

B. Contractors shall notify the Government immediately of lots that fail to meet 

contract requirements.

Part 2 CONTAINERAND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS

Section 2.1 GENERAL

This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirements 

used under this contract.

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING

A. Contractors shall supply commercial brand products only and shall certify at thetime of 

submission of an offer that the commercial product being delivered has a history of 

successful distribution and use in domestic commercial channels and is sold on the 

commercial market with an established level of consumeracceptance.

B. Container and packaging requirements are those used in the currentcommercial 
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shipping practices and shall complywith

(1) Unitization requirements in Section 2.4.

(2) At contractor’s option, a statement such as “Not for Retail Sale” may be 

printed on the principal display panel of the food label.

(3) The manufacturer’s lot code/lot identification number shall be shown on the 

commercial bill of lading.

(4) Shipping containers shall be marked to show the maximum safe stacking 

height. It is the responsibility of the contractor in cooperation with the

shipping container manufacturers to determine the safe stacking height.

(5) For identification upon receipt at delivery warehouses, all commerciallabeled product shipping documents shall specify “FOR USDA FOOD 

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.”

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS ANDMATERIALS

A. All containers and packaging shall be constructed to meet the 

requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safe 

contact with the packaged product. The contractor shall obtain and 

maintain documentation from the container or packaging material 

manufacturer to verify that the containers and packaging materials 

used in this contract were in compliance with the Government’s 

regulatory requirements for safe contact with food products as 

required in the Master Solicitation, Part 3, Section A, Number3.

B. If the contractor purchases packaging and container ingredients from 

a foreign country and/or the package and container is manufactured in 

a foreign country, the package and container SHALL NOTdisplay 

country of origin labeling. Phrases including, but not limited to, 

“Made in [Name of Foreign Country.]” or “Product of [Name of 

Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited.

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION

Shipments shall comply with the following unitization requirements:

A. Unless otherwise specified by the Government, all shipments of packaged products 

shall be unitized (palletized and stretch wrapped)

B. Pallets shall be:

(1) Constructed to facilitate the safe handling and transportation of the packaged 

product, as a unit, without loss or damage.

(2) A Number 2, four-way, reversible flush stringer with no broken runners or 

slats.

(3) Suitable for use in the shipment of food products.

C. Plastic stretch wrap shall be:

(1) Constructed of a plastic film which is to be stretched a minimum of 50
3

percent beyond its original length when stretched around the pallet load.

(2) Applied as tightly as possible around all tiers of the palletized shipping 

containers. The shipping containers shall be held firmly in place by the

stretch wrap.

D. Pallet loads shall be:

(1) Stacked in such a way as to minimize the amount that shipping containers 

overhang the edges of pallets.

(2) Blocked and braced or otherwise loaded into the conveyance in a manner

that prevents shifting during transit.

E. USDA does not particpate in a pallet exchange program.