Agricultural Marketing Service

Commodity Procurement Program

1400 Independence Ave SW

Room 3522-S, STOP-0239

Washington, DC 20250-0239

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

WHEAT FLOUR AND BAKERY FLOUR PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: September 2023

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

WHEAT FLOUR AND BAKERY FLOUR PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Part 1 COMMODITYSPECIFICATIONS ...................................................................................................3

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES ........................................................................................................................3

Section 1.2 WARRANTY.............................................................................................................................6

Section 1.3 KOSHER ONLY PRODUCTS...................................................................................................6

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE..........................................................................................................6

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS ...................................................................6

Section 2.1 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................6

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING.................................................................................................7
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Part 1 COMMODITYSPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

A. Quality of the Commodity 

(1) All wheat shall be tested for vomitoxin in accordance with procedures approved 

by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS). Any wheat testing higher than 2 

parts per million (ppm) shall not be used in production of the commodity. The 

final product shall not contain more than 1 part per million (ppm) of vomitoxin. 

(2) The commodity delivered shall meet the requirements as specified in the 

Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A-20126H (May 23, 2019) for flours, 

cereal grain products available at

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/AA20126H_Flours_Cereal_G

rain.pdf except for the following analytical and physicalrequirements:
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Material 

Codes

Pack 

Size

Material 

Description Protein Level1 Ash Level Moisture Falling Number Units

Min Max Min Max Max Min Max

100400 8/5 lb. 

bag

Flour, All Purpose, 

Enriched, Bleached 8.70% 11.80% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100409 50 lb. 

bag

Flour, 100% Whole 

Wheat (Red wheat 

only)

11.50% 14.40% 1.56% 1.90% 14.00% 300 

100413 50 lb.

Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Unbleached

100418 Bulk 10.50% 12.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100417 Bulk Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Bleached

110855 50 lb. 

bag Flour, 100% White 

Whole Wheat

11.50% 14.40% 1.56% 1.90% 14.00% 300 

110857 8/5 lb. 

bag

100420 Bulk 

Flour, Bakers Hard 

Wheat, Hearth, 

Unbleached

10.50% 12.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100421 Bulk Flour, Bakers Soft 

Wheat, Unbleached 6.30% 10.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 250 350

100912 Bulk Flour, Bread 12.00% 14.00% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 300

110482 50 lb. 

bag Flour, High Gluten 12.50% 14.50% 0.50% 0.56% 14.00% 300 350

110208

25 lb. 

bag Flour, White Whole 

Wheat/ Enriched 

60/40 Blend2

11.00% 13.50% 1.10% 1.40% 14.00% 250 350

110211

8/5 lb. 

bag

i. The Rapid Visco Analyzer (RVA) is an acceptable mill laboratory analysis 

standard industry device used to measure ingredient performance. Fungal αamylase and α-amylase (from malt flour) are enzymes used to improve flour 

performance and dough consistency in milling and baking applications. The 

RVA can be used to measure relative enzyme activity per Cereals and 

Grains Association (formerly AACC International, 

American Association of Cereal Chemists). 

1 Based on 14% + 0.20% moisture. Ash level tolerance + 0.02% 2 White Whole Wheat/Enriched Flour Blend shall consist of 60% White Whole Wheat Flour plus 40% All Purpose 

Flour containing niacin, iron, folic acid. (All approved by the Association of Cereal Chemists).
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ii. Formulations using fungal α-amylase:

a. Contractors shall adhere to the following when the RVA is used to 

measure fungal α-amylase activity:

• Establish baseline values for treated and untreated flours. 

The baseline values will vary based on enzyme treatment 

level and flour products for individual milling operations.

• Flours with the optimum levels of fungal α-amylase 

enzyme activity will yield lower Final Viscosity (FV) values 

at least two standard deviations (SD) apart from the 

established baseline value of untreated flours.

• Maintain records for both treated and untreated flours and 

provide documentation to the government upon request.

iii. Formulations using malt flour:

b. Contractors shall adhere to the following when the RVA is used to 

measure α-amylase activity via Stirring Number (SN) method:

• The SN value will decrease as malt flour addition amounts 

increase. 

• Flours with the optimum levels of α-amylase activity will 

yield the following estimated SN values below, which 

correlates with the Falling Number Units found in the 

chart on page 4:

Note: Final Viscosity (FV) values are expressed as 

Rapid Visco Units (RVU) or centipoise (cP).

• Maintain records for both treated and untreated flours and 

provide documentation to the government upon request.

(3) Storage conditions: 70 degrees F., 70 percent humidity,

(4) Sifting specifications: See FDA definitions in 21 CFR 137.200.

(5) Bakery flour shall be enriched, bleached, or unbleached. The enrichment and 

bleaching requirements shall be those listed in the latest “Food and Drug 

Standards of Identity.” chlorine using amounts and procedures that allow the 

product to attain performance specifications related to those for cake and cookie 

manufacture and be suitable for that use.

(6) Bakers hard wheat bread flour shall be suitable for use in continuous and 

conventional baking processes or, in the case of hearth-style, may contain 

potassium bromate added in a quantity not exceeding 25 parts to each million 

parts of finished enriched flour to achieve maximum quality commercially 

Stirring Number (+/-3%)

Min Max

100 RVU or

1200 cP

120 RVU or

1440 cP
6 

acceptable hearth-type bread products. 

(7) Bulk Flour Shipments

i. At the time of shipment, the contractor shall furnish to the destination

consignee a mill laboratory analysis that the flour meets all the testing and 

quality requirements of the contract.

ii. For bulk shipments by railroad car or truck, the weight of the quantity 

shipped shall be evidenced by an official weight certificate and included 

with the invoice. If official weights are not available at the plant location, 

the contractor shall obtain the official weight certificates at an 

intermediate point or at destination.

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 30 days prior to shipping. 

Section 1.3 KOSHER PRODUCTS

Occasionally, USDA solicits offers to sell Kosher products that comply with applicable 

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

plants shall be certified for compliance with the aforementioned requirement by contacting the 

Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) at 646-472-5368. Additional 

information regarding practices and protocols required for kosher certified production 

for BJENY schools can be found at the following link: BJENY Kosher Resource 

(usda.gov). 

At no cost to the vendor, a rabbinic supervisor will be sent to certify compliance of the 

manufacturing plant with the dietary (kosher) laws. Vendors must not bid on these purchase 

units unless they can be properly certified. Kosher products purchased solely for the 

#613 Council of Kashruth do not require a symbol on the primary or secondary 

container. 

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). The COA shall be maintained by the contractor.

USDA requires the contractor to retain the COA for a minimum of seven years 

from the date of issuance. If quality discounts are provided in the contract, and the 

product to be delivered by the contractor falls within the quality discount table, 

those factors shall be identified by an asterisk on the copies of the COA. 

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

contract requirements.

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGINGREQUIREMENTS

Section 2.1 GENERAL

This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirement 

used under this contract. 
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Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING

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

printed on the principal display panel of the food label. 

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

commercial bill of lading. 

(3) 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. 

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

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.” 

C. Container, packaging, and unitization requirements shall comply with Section 

4A52.211-3, 4A52.211-4, and 4A52.211-6 in the Master Solicitation for 

Commodity Procurement-Domestic Programs which is available at 

https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/MSCP.pdf.