New products

Specification Updates

Looking ahead 

Laura Walter, Commodity Procurement

Rick Peterson, Specialty Crop Inspection
Success stories for 2017

• New products 

• Butternut squash

• Diced potatoes
Success stories for 2017

• Specification updates

• Shelled walnuts

• Figs

• Bulk sweet potatoes

• New pack sizes for strawberries, apricots

• New format – consolidating amendments
New Products for 2018

• Mixed berry cup FRZ–96/4oz

• Mixed vegetables –FRZ 30 lb.

• Applesauce cup in 6 CT sleeve

• Cream of Mushroom soup – condensed –

still in development
Sodium Testing: 

Canned vegetables and beans
Aligning with commercial practices

What we learned last year:

• Few vendors using current skip lot testing protocol

• Many vendors perform in-plant sodium testing or 

contract with other labs to confirm compliance with 

low sodium formulation.

• Could USDA validate test results vs. duplicate 

analysis?
Our approach....

• Analyzed 5 years of USDA test results:

– What percentage of products are meeting the 

sodium criteria?

• 96-99% compliance for high volume canned vegetables

– Reduce product costs associated with testing? 

– Reduce administrative burden?
Phase One – November 2017-June 2018

 USDA sodium testing: one random sample 

per product, per location, per Purchase 

Order
New Protocol

• SCI staff will select one lot verification composite sample per 

purchase order, per product, per location.

• USDA Science and Technology laboratory will perform this 

analysis to ensure that the product is in compliance with the 

sodium requirement.
New Protocol continued...

• Vendors provide SCI with documentation that each lot was 

sampled and tested, and meets the sodium criteria.

• Vendors may perform sodium analyses themselves, or 

contract with a certified third party laboratory to verify that 

USDA products meet the criteria.

• The SCI inspector submits composite verification sample to 

the USDA laboratory for any lot SCI suspects as not meeting 

the sodium requirement. 
New Protocol continued...

• Vendors responsible for costs associated with all 

USDA laboratory analyses.

• Revert to more frequent USDA testing if plant 

experiences challenges in meeting the criteria
Phase Two: starting July 1, 2018

 Audit-based verification for compliance with sodium 

requirement

– SCI staff will review vendor’s test results for each lot to 

confirm the product meets the sodium criteria.

– SCI may reinstate USDA composite sampling/testing if 

multiple lots fail to meet the sodium criteria.
Looking Ahead ... 

Exploring a two-step contracting process

Evaluation factors will be described in the solicitation.

Submit samples prior to submitting bid

Blind taste testing, objective panel

Determine which products are acceptable

Refried beans, vegetarian beans?

Cream of mushroom soup?

Other products?
Looking Ahead....

Updating packaging 

exploring smaller household sizes

colorful, retail packaging

Implementing new format: Nutrition Facts Panel
Changes to Nutrition Facts Panel

https://www.fda.gov/food/guidanceregulation/guidancedocumentsregulatoryinformation/labelingnutrition/u

cm385663.htm
Looking ahead

• FDA issued a proposed rule to extend the 

compliance dates:

– Jan. 1, 2020, for manufacturers with $10 

million or more in annual food sales. 

– Jan. 1, 2021, for manufacturers with less 

than $10 million in annual food sales
Looking Ahead....

• FDA intends to exercise enforcement 

discretion with respect to the current July 26, 

2018, and July 26, 2019, compliance dates
Looking Ahead ... 

SKU Rationalization

 Monitoring trends/products volumes

 When and how to “retire” products 

• low volumes- analyze why

• Updating package sizes
Questions?