Specialty Specialty Crops 1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Crops Inspection Room 1536-S, STOP 0240

Program Division Washington, DC 20250-0240

April 8, 2016 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 4

COMMODITY SPECIFICATION

CANNED VEGETABLES – September 2014

The purpose of this amendment is to:

 Add language to Section I., General. This defines the processing and packaging 

equipment to be used for the canned vegetable commodities in relation to allergens

 Revise the appearance requrements for commodity J. – Salsa

 Include additional flavor and ingredient requrements for commodity K. – Spaghetti 

Sauce

 Make other editorial changes

Deletions are strikethroughs and additions are shown in blue below:

I. General

B. Exceptions to the U.S. Standards and/or or Commercial Item Description (CID)

Exceptions to the U.S. Standards for the Department of Agriculture (USDA) canned 

vegetables purchases and/or or Commercial Item Description (CID) are found in Section 

II, Individual Commodity Specifications, of this document.

D. Allergens: All canned vegetable products (excluding commodity K. – Soups) will be 

processed and packaged using equipment that:

1. Has had no direct contact with a major allergen or

2. If the equipment used has had direct contact with a major allergen, it has been

sanitized using an approved industry standard allergenic sanitation/clean and restart,

and is free of allergens prior to a USDA canned vegetable products run.

3. This requirement does not include any packaging or labeling equipment used after

the can has been hermetically sealed.

4. Product labels may not include allergen advisory statements.

II. Individual Commodity Specifications

J. Salsa – 6/10 size can or 6/10 equivalent (6/106 ounce pouch)
All other terms and conditions remain unchanged.

CID No. A-A-20210 – Effective on the date of the Solicitation/IFB (published separately)

8. Appearance: 

 The salsa must have the appearance of a uniform diced texture with the dices being

approximately:

o Tomatoes - no less than 3/8 inch and no more than 3/4 inch 

o Onions - no less than 1⁄4 inch to 3/4 inch 

 The product will have no excess liquid medium or weeping

 The consistency will meet a range of 3.0 to 5.5 as determined using a Bostwick 

Consistometer and timed for 30 seconds with no chunks blocking the gates

 The spices and condiments added will be evenly comminuted and free from lumps

 The tomatoes, onions, and peppers will be uniformly firm and tender and 

practically free of soft or spongy units

10. Drained weight and washed drained weight – See Washed drained weight part 5.5.3.2, CID A-A20210.

L. Spaghetti Sauce, Meatless – 6/10 size can or 6/10-equivalent (6/106 ounce pouch), & 

24/300 size can

CID No. A-A-20133 – Effective on the date of the Solicitation/IFB (published separately).

Type I – Meatless

Consistency 1 – Smooth

Flavor a – Traditional

Additional Requirements

3. Flavor a – Traditional

Must meet the appearance and flavor profile requirements shown below. 

Appearance: When 100 grams of the sauce is spread evenly into a thin layer, on a 

shallow white grading tray, there will be visible bits and specks of the spices. 

Flavor profile: The traditional style will include the flavor sensations of basil, garlic, 

onion, and other spices formulated in a manner that results in a balanced traditional 

tasting spaghetti sauce.

5. Ingredients – The spaghetti sauce must include tomato products, and basil, garlic, 

onion. The spaghetti sauce may include water, oil (olive, soybean cottonseed, corn, 

canola, or a combination of oils) sugar, corn syrup, onion powder, garlic powder, 

other spice extracts, citric acid, natural flavoring, other safe and suitable 

ingredients, and modified starch or thickeners. If included, modified starch or 

thickeners must not exceed 1 percent of the product formulation and must be gluten 

free.