Agricultural Marketing Service

Commodity Procurement Staff

Beacon Facility - Mailstop 8718

P.O. Box 419205

Kansas City, MO 64141-6205

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

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SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

PEANUT & TREE NUT FREE PRODUCTS

 FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: 04/07/2017
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

SSB7

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

PEANUT & TREE NUT FREE PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

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

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES ..................................................................................................................1

Section 1.2 WARRANTY .......................................................................................................................3

Section 1.3 KOSHER REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................................3

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE........................................................................................................4

Part 2 CONTAINERANDPACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS.............................................................................4

Section 2.1 GENERAL ...........................................................................................................................4

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS.....................................................................4

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS..........................................................................................4

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS ..........................................................................................5
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Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

A. The commodities delivered shall meet the requirements as specified in the 

following Commercial Item Descriptions (CID): 

Commercial Item Description Butter, Sunflower Seed A-A-20371 (February 7, 

2017) 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/CID%20Butter,%20Sunflower

%20Seed.pdf

B. Quality of Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds used in the manufacture of sunflower seed butter shall be:

(1) Human food quality confectionery kernels and within the requirements of

U.S. Grade No. 1 or U.S. Grade No. 2.

(2) Tested for aflatoxin and certified to be negative.

(3) 100 percent U.S. origin product in accordance with the contract clause, 

“United States Origin of Agricultural Products (48 CFR 470.103).

(4) Free of mildew stains, filth, or other extraneous material, and free from

bitter, musty, sour, rancid, sprouty, or other objectionable tastes and odors.

(5) From current crop year stocks or as specified in the solicitation.

(6) For oil roasted sunflower seeds, the roasting oil shall be thoroughly

refined, deodorized, and free from rancidity and objectionable flavor after

heating to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and shall have a free-fatty acid content

of not more than .08 percent (as oleic acid) prior to its first use. The

roasting oil shall be stabilized using additives of a kind and at levels 

permitted in edible oil products under the Federal Food, Drug, and

Cosmetic Act. Peanut oil is not allowable.

C. Quality of Sunflower Seed Butter

The finished product shall:

(1) Not exceed the microbiological requirements contained in the table below:

Microbiological Standards

Salmonella Negative

E. Coli <3 MPN/g

Coliform <10 MPN/g

Aerobic Plate Count <10,000/g

Yeast <50/gram

Mold <50/gram

(2) Meet the requirements contained in the table below:

Per 32g Serving Minimum Maximum

Protein 7g ---

Fats --- 16g

Moisture --- 4%

Peroxide (meq/kg) --- 1.5

Aflatoxin Negative Negative
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(3) Be of a stabilized type. Stabilizers shall be derived solely from vegetable 

sources so as to prevent oil separation. Vegetable oils shall be produced 

from non-tropical sources; tropical oils such as coconut, palm, and palm 

kernel are not permitted. Peanut oil is not allowable. U.S. origin 

certification is not required for sweeteners and stabilizers used in the 

manufacture of the finished product.

(4) Be finely ground and have a smooth texture. The consistency of the 

finished product shall be such that it spreads uniformly without tearing or

breaking fresh white bread, and shall be free of any gelatin-like condition.

(5) Be crisp, palatable, and free from bitter, musty, sour, rancid, sprouty, or

other objectionable tastes and odors.

(6) Be brown in the color hue as USDA Color 1, USDA Color 2, USDA

Color 3, and USDA Color 4 defined in the "United States Standards for 

Grades of Peanut Butter". The standards are available at:

http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3011890.

The color intensity, or degree of lightness or darkness, may vary; however,

the Government reserves the right to reject products lighter than USDA

Color 1, and those darker than USDA Color 4.

(7) Be peanut and tree nut free. There is zero tolerance for peanut and tree 

nut residue of any type in the finished product. Manufacturers must 

implement allergen controls in accordance with F D A 

r e g u l a t i o n s 21 CFR 117.35, 40, 80, and 135.

D. Processing and Packaging Equipment

Sunflower seed butter shall be processed and packaged using peanut and tree nut 

free equipment:

(1) No peanut or tree nut products shall be near or around sunflower seeds used in 

the manufacture of this product (must be manufactured in peanut/tree nut free 

facility). Machinery used for the manufacture of peanut or tree nut butter shall 

not be used to produce sunflower seed butter.

(2) This mandatory requirement does not include any packaging or labeling 

equipment used after the primary container has been sealed. 

(3) Product labels may not include allergen advisory statements.

E. Instructions for color determination

(1) The USDA Color Standards shall be viewed under standard lighting 

conditions. Compare the color of the USDA color standard with a

representative sample of the finished product having an area and depth

approximately equal to the color standard (2 inch x 3 inch x 1/8 inch). A

suitable light source of approximately 250 foot candle intensity and having

a spectral quality approximating that of daylight under a moderately 

overcast sky and a color temperature of 7500 degrees Kelvin ± 200 degrees

is preferable. With a light source directly over the color standard and the 

product, observation is made at an angle of 45 degrees and at a distance of 

about 24 inches from the product.

(2) Though the appearance of the finished product should be similar to that of
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peanut butter, the product should never be directly compared with peanut

butter given the risk of peanut contamination.

(3) To purchase plastic plates of the USDA Peanut Butter Colors 1, 2, 3 and 4, 

contact:

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

Specialty Crops Program, Specialty Crops Inspection Division, 

Inspection Operations

Room 1536 South Building, STOP 0240

1400 Independence Avenue, SW

Washington, DC 20250-0240

Phone: 202-720-2095

FAX: 202-720-0393

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 KOSHER REQUIREMENTS

A. For Material Code 100935: Sunflower Seed Butter shall be certified 

Kosher and include the registered Kashrut certification symbol of the 

certifying agent on the label. List of acceptable Kosher certifications:

http://oukosher.org/ http://www.star-k.org/ http://www.ok.org/ 

http://www.kof-k.org/ http://www.crcweb.org/

B. For Material Code 110073 only: K Sunflower Seed Butter shall comply 

with applicable dietary (kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of

Kashruth.” Maufacturing plants shall be certified for compliance with the

aforementioned requirement by contacting the Board of Jewish Education of

Greater New York (BJENY) at 646-472-5365. At no cost to the vendor, a

rabbinic supervisor will be sent to certify compliance of the manufacturing

plant with the dietary (kosher) laws.

Offeror shall certify that their manufacturing plant is capable of meeting

applicable dietary (kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of Kashruth” 

and certification by BJENY.
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Section 1.4 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).

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

contract requirements.

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS

Section 2.1 GENERAL

This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirements

used under this contract.

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS

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

time 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 consumer acceptance.

B. Container and packaging requirements are those used in the current commercial

shipping practices and shall comply with:

(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 AND MATERIALS

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, Number 3.

B. Questions concerning the containers and materials should be directed to:

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AMS%20Commodity%20Proc
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urement%20Staff%20Contact%20List.pdf

C. 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 NOT 

display country of origin labeling. Phrases similar, but not limited to,

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

Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited.

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS

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

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 participate in a pallet exchange program.