Farm Service Agency

Kansas City Commodity Office

P.O. Box 419205, MS

8698 Kansas City, MO

64141-6205

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

PP1

PEANUT PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN INTERNATIONAL FOOD

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

FedBizOpps Posting Date:

Effective Date: January 27, 2016

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

PP1

PEANUTPRODUCTS

FOR USE IN INTERNATIONAL FOOD 

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Effective Date: January 27, 2016
USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

PP1

PEANUT PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN

INTERNATIONAL FOOD 

ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS

Table of Contents

Contents

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS ................................................................................4

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES...................................................................................................4

Section 1.2 QUALITY ASSURANCE ....................................................................................5

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS .................................................6

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

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS............................................6

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS ....................................................................6

Section 2.4 SHELF LIFE, SHIPPING, AND STORAGE ........................................................7

Section 2.5 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS .....................................................................7
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Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES

A. Quality of Peanuts

(1) This specification follows the Commercial Item Description (CID) A-A20164D. Anything not specified below shall conform to the requirements 

set forth in CID A-A-20164D.

(2) Shelled peanuts used in the manufacture of roasted peanuts shall be:

a. Tested for aflatoxin and shall not exceed 15 parts per billion (ppb).

b. From current crop year stocks or as specified in the solicitation.

c. Peanut grade and variety acceptable for use in Roasted Peanuts

are outlined in Table 1. Within the requirements of current

grades as outlined in Table 1 below, provided that a tolerance of

not more than 2 percent by weight will be permitted for minor 

defects and damage combined, including not more than 1.25 

percent for damage.

(i) Peanuts may contain not more than 3 percent split or

broken kernels upon initial inspection of the lot.

(ii) For lots removed from cold storage or remilled prior to

usage, peanuts may contain not more than 6 percent split or

broken kernels.

Table 1

Peanut Grades And Minimum Sizes For Roasted Peanuts

U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Peanuts and American

Peanut Shellers Association (APSA) Grades including

minimum screen sizes for peanuts that may be processed for

roasted peanuts are:

U.S. Seg. 1 Jumbo Runner 21/64 x 3/4 inch slot

d. Roasted peanuts requirements are:

(i) All items shall be UNSALTED

(ii) Shall meet the Microbiological Standards as shown in Table 2

(iii)Shall be of the following types and the maximum percentage 

by weight which may be splits are shown in Table 3:

Table 2

Microbiological Standards

Salmonella Negative

E. Coli <3.6/g Most Probable Number (MPN)

Coliform <10/g MPN

Aerobic Plate Count <10,000/g

Yeast <100/gram

Mold <100/gram

Aflatoxin <15 parts per billion (ppb)
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Table 3

Maximum Number of splits

Regular/Oil Roasted Percentage by Weight

Runner, blanched 50

(2) Not more than 4 percent by weight will consist of small pieces. A

small piece is defined as any piece less than 1/4 peanut.

(3) The blanched peanuts shall be practically free from skins either loose or

attached.

(4) Shall be crisp, palatable, and free from bitter, musty, sour, rancid, or other 

objectionable tastes and odors.

(5) Free of mildew stains, filth, or other extraneous material.

(6) Medium brown in color, but not lighter than USDA Color 2 nor darker 

than USDA Color 3

Section 1.2 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). Copies of the COA must be submitted as part 

of the invoice package. The COA shall provide the results of all tests specified in 

Table 2. 

B. The government reserves the right to perform verification testing for all 

requirements.

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

contract requirements.
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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.

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. The primary package shall contain twenty-eight grams of peanuts 

in commercially labeled packages. Individual packages shall be 

stuffed in strong cardboard carton suitable for multiple handlings.

B. All containers and packaging materials shall be constructed to meet the requirements of 

the Food and Drug Administration for safe contact with the packaged product. 

C. In addition, all containers and packaging materials shall be 

constructed to comply with the sum concentration levels of lead, 

cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium addressed by the 

Coalition of Northeast Governors (CONEG) model legislation. The 

sum of the concentration levels of lead, cadmium, mercury, and/or 

hexavalent chromium present in any package or packaging 

component shall not exceed 100 parts per million. Concentration 

levels shall be determined using American Standard of Testing 

Materials test methods, as revised, or U.S. Environmental Protection 

Agency test methods for evaluating solid waste, S-W 846, as revised.

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

USDA/FSA/DACO

Room 5755 – South Bldg, STOP 0551

1400 Independence Avenue SW

Washington, DC 20250-0551

ATTN: Packaging
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E. 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 to but not inclusive of,

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

Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited.

Section 2.4 SHELF LIFE, SHIPPING, AND STORAGE

Dry, roasted peanuts shall have a shelf life of at least six months from 

date of manufacturer when stored dry at ambient temperatures 

prevalent in the country of destination. Product shall not be

manufactured more than 60 days prior to shipping.

Section 2.5 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.