FSC 8940

A-A-20200A

May 2, 2002

 SUPERSEDING

A-A-20200

December 30, 1994

COMMERCIAL ITEM DESCRIPTION

PIZZA SAUCE (FULLY PREPARED AND BASE)

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

authorized the use of this Commercial Item Description.

1. SCOPE. This Commercial Item Description (CID) covers tomato based pizza sauce, packed 

in commercially sterile acceptable containers, suitable for use by the Federal, State, local 

governments, and other interested parties.

2. PURCHASER NOTES.

2.1 Purchasers shall specify the following:

- Types, consistencies, and packaging required (Sec. 3).

- When analytical requirements are different then specified (Sec. 6.1).

- When analytical requirements need to be verified (Sec. 6.4).

- Manufacturer’s/distributor’s certification (Sec. 9.2) or USDA certification (Sec. 9.3).

2.2 Purchasers may specify the following:

- Define salient characteristic requirements through a bid sample (Sec. 5.8).

- Manufacturer’s quality assurance (Sec. 9.1 with 9.1.1) or (Sec. 9.1 with 9.1.2).

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

3. CLASSIFICATION. The pizza sauce shall conform to the following list as specified in the 

solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

Types, consistencies, and packaging.

Type I - Fully prepared (with oil) [ready-to-use]

Consistency A - Medium

Consistency B - Thick (heavy)

 Consistency C - Other

 

METRIC
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Type II - Pizza Base with basil [requires additional ingredients]

 Type III - Pizza Base without basil [requires additional ingredients]

Consistency A - Medium

 Consistency B - Thick (heavy)

 Consistency C - Extra thick (extra heavy)

 Consistency D - Other

Packaging 1 - Can

Packaging 2 - Pouch

 Packaging 3 - Bag

 Packaging 4 - Drum

 Packaging 5 - Other

4. MANUFACTURER’S/DISTRIBUTOR’S NOTES. Manufacturer’s/distributor’s 

products shall meet the requirements of the:

- Salient characteristics (Sec 5).

- Analytical requirements: as specified by the purchaser (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. SALIENT CHARACTERISTICS.

5.1 Processing. The pizza sauce shall be processed in accordance with good manufacturing 

practice (21 CFR Part 110) and be commercially sterile.

5.2 Ingredients.

5.2.1 Fully Prepared. The fully prepared pizza sauce shall contain tomatoes and/or tomato 

puree, tomato paste, or tomato concentrate, salt, soybean, canola, or olive oil, seasonings or 

extracts (such as, but not limited to, onion, garlic, basil, oregano, natural flavors). The pizza 

sauce may contain; but not limited to: corn syrup, high fructose corn syrup, and sugar. Salt and 

citric acid may be added. The pizza sauce may also include processing ingredients such as, but 

not limited to: xanthan gum and modified food starch.

5.2.2 Pizza Base. Type II and Type III pizza bases shall contain tomatoes and/or tomato puree, 

tomato paste, or tomato concentrate, and may contain salt and citric acid. Type II pizza base 

shall contain basil and may contain other spices. Type III pizza base shall not contain basil and 

other spices.
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5.3 Flavor and odor. The pizza sauce shall have a well-blended slightly acidic tomato flavor 

and odor, characteristic of ripe, good quality tomatoes and proper processing, free from any 

objectionable flavors and odors.

5.4 Color. The pizza sauce shall have a bright, tomato-reddish to reddish-orange color.

5.5 Appearance. The pizza sauce may contain unrolled peel and whole tomato seeds not to 

exceed 2.38 mm (3/32 in) in any dimension. The fully prepared pizza sauce and pizza base with 

basil shall contain uniformly dispersed discernable pieces of spice.

5.6 Suspension. The pizza sauce shall have minimal stratification or separation.

5.7 Foreign material. The pizza sauce shall not exceed the specified U.S. Food and Drug 

Administration (FDA) tolerance for “Defect Action Levels”.

5.8 Bid sample. When required in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, a bid 

sample shall be submitted and evaluated for conformance to section 5.3 through 5.6. Analytical 

requirements may be established on the bid sample product and be a mutual agreement between 

parties involved. 

6. ANALYTICAL REQUIREMENTS.

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

purchase order, the analytical requirements for the pizza sauce shall be as follows:

Test Requirements

 Consistency measured Fully prepared: Medium - 4.0 - 6.8 cm

 at 20°C (68oF) + 1°C (1.8oF) Thick - 1.4 - 4.0 cm

 for 30 seconds 

Pizza Base: Medium - 2.0 - 4.5 cm

 Thick - 1.0 - 2.0 cm

Extra thick - 0.5 - 1.0 cm or if less than 

0.5 cm dilute product 1:1 with tap water 

to a bostwick of 5.0 - 7.0 cm

 NTSS (Natural tomato

 soluble solids) Minimum 11.5 percent

 pH 3.80 to 4.50

 Acidity (citric acid) Minimum 0.50 - 1.20 percent

 Salt 0.50 to 1.75 percent
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6.2 Product verification. When USDA verification of analytical requirements is specified in 

the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the following procedures will be followed.

6.2.1 Sampling procedures. USDA inspection service will select the number of product 

containers based on USDA inspection service sampling procedures and plans.

6.2.2 Composite sample. Analytical testing shall be performed on a composite sample. The 

composite sample shall be 454 grams (1 pound) and prepared from subsamples drawn from 

randomly selected containers. The number of subsamples used to create the composite shall be 

based on USDA procedures.

6.3 Preparation of sample. The sample shall be prepared in accordance with the Official 

Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International Method 945.68.

6.4 Analytical testing. When specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order, the 

analyses shall be made in accordance with the following methods from the Official Methods of 

Analysis of the AOAC International or as specified below:

Test Method 

Solids (Soluble) in Tomato Products 970.59

pH of Acidified Foods 981.12

Consistency Bostwick Consistometer

Titratable acidity (as citric acid) 942.15(A)

 Salt 971.27, 935.47, or equivalent

6.5 Test results. The test results for solids shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. The test 

results for acidity and salt shall be reported to the nearest 0.01 percent respectively. Test results 

for pH shall be reported to the nearest 0.01value. Test results for consistency shall be reported to 

the nearest 0.1 centimeter in 30 seconds. Any result not conforming to the analytical 

requirements shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

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

distributor shall certify that the pizza sauce provided shall meet the salient characteristics of this 

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

same prepared pizza sauce offered for sale in the commercial market. The purchaser reserves the 

right to require proof of conformance.

8. REGULATORY REQUIREMENTS. The delivered pizza sauce shall comply with all 

applicable Federal, State, and local mandatory requirements and regulations relating to the 

preparation, packaging, labeling, storage, distribution, and sale of pizza sauce within the 

commercial marketplace. Delivered pizza sauce shall comply with all applicable provisions of 

the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and regulations 

promulgated thereunder.
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9. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS. Purchaser shall specify 9.2 or 9.3; purchaser 

may specify 9.1 with 9.1.1 or 9.1 with 9.1.2.

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

purchase order, the product manufacturer shall 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 

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

may result in the contract being terminated for cause.

9.1.1 Plant systems audit. A plant systems audit (PSA) conducted by USDA, Agricultural 

Marketing Service (AMS), or another 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 Title 21 Code of Federal Regulations 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. The AMS PSA determines the 

manufacturer’s ability to produce under this CID, if the products of interest are identified at the 

time of the PSA.)

9.1.2 Plant survey. A plant survey conducted by USDA, AMS, or another 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 Title 21 Code of Federal 

Regulations Part 110 - Current Good Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packing, or 

Holding Human Food.)

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

purchase order, the manufacturer/distributor will certify that the finished pizza sauce distributed 

meets or exceeds the requirements of this CID.

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

product quality and acceptability or both be determined, the Processed Products Branch (PPB), 

Fruit and Vegetable Programs (FVP), AMS, USDA, shall be the certifying program. PPB 

inspectors shall certify the quality and acceptability of the pizza sauce in accordance with PPB 

procedures which include selecting random samples of the packaged pizza sauce, evaluating the 

samples for conformance with the salient characteristics of this CID and other contractual 

requirements, and documenting the findings on official PPB score sheets and/or certificates. In 

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

examine the pizza sauce for conformance to the United States Standards for Condition of Food 

Containers in effect on the date of the solicitation.
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10. PACKAGING. Preservation, packaging, packing, labeling, and case marking shall be 

commercial unless otherwise specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order.

11. USDA INSPECTION NOTES. When Section 9.3 is specified in the solicitation, 

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

condition of samples of packaged pizza sauce, and compliance with requirements in the 

following areas:

 

 - Salient characteristics (Sec. 5).

- Analytical requirements when specified in the solicitation, contract, or purchase order

(Sec. 6.4). When USDA analytical testing is specified, PPB inspection personnel shall 

select samples and submit them to the USDA, Science and Technology Program 

 (S&TP) laboratory for analysis.

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

 order).

12. REFERENCE NOTES.

12.1 USDA certification contact. For USDA certification, contact the Branch Chief, PPB, 

FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0247, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-

0247, telephone (202) 720-4693, Fax (202) 690-1527, or via E-mail: 

james.rodeheaver@usda.gov.

12.2 Analytical testing and technical information. For USDA technical information on 

analytical testing, contact the Branch Chief, Technical Service Branch, S&TP, AMS, USDA, 

STOP 0272, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-0272, telephone (202) 

690-0621, or via E-mail: anita.okrend@usda.gov.

12.3 Sources of documents.

12.3.1 Source of information for nongovernmental document is as follows:

Copies of the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International may be obtained from: 

AOAC International, 481 North Frederick Avenue, Suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877. 

You may contact AOAC International on (301) 924-7077 or on the Internet at: 

www.aoac.org.

12.3.2 Sources of information for governmental documents are as follows:

Applicable provisions of the Fair Packaging and Labeling Act are contained in 16 CFR, Parts 

500 to 503. The Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act are contained in 21 CFR Parts 1 to 199. 

This document may be purchased from: Superintendent of Documents, ATTN: New Orders, 

P. O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954. Credit Card (MasterCard or VISA) 
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purchases may be made by calling the Superintendent of Documents on (202) 512-1800 or 

on the Internet at: www.access.gpo.gov/nara.

The FDA Food Defect Action Levels are available on the Internet at: 

http://vm.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/dalbook.html.

Copies of this CID, the United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers, and beneficial 

comments, recommendations, additions, deletions, clarifications, etc., and any data which may 

improve this CID are available from and/or provided to: Head, Food Quality Assurance Staff, 

FVP, AMS, USDA, STOP 0243, 1400 Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC 

20250-0243, telephone (202) 720-9939, Fax (202) 690-0102, via E-mail: 

FQAStaff@usda.gov or on the Internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/fv/fvqual.htm.

Military activities should submit requests for copies of this CID to: Standardization 

Documents Order Desk, Defense Automation and Production Service, 700 Robbins 

Avenue, Building 4D, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.

MILITARY INTERESTS: CIVIL AGENCY COORDINATING ACTIVITIES:

Military Coordinating Activity DOJ - BOP

HHS - NIH, IHS

Army - GL USDA - FV

VA - OSS

Custodians

PREPARING ACTIVITY:

Army - GL

Navy - SA USDA - FV

Air Force - 35

Review Activities

Army - MD, QM

Navy - MC

DLA - SS

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, 

sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program 

information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call 

(202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.