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SECTION C

This document covers enriched hominy grits in a boil-in-bag (BIB) pouch then overpacked in 

a barrier pouch for use by the Department of Defense as a component of operational rations.

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR 

CID A-A-20035D HOMINY GRITS, ENRICHED, PACKAGED IN A BOIL-IN-BAG 

(BIB) POUCH

Type, style, flavor.

Type I – White

 Style C – Instant

 Flavor 1 – Unflavored

C-2 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

 A. Product standard. A sample shall be subjected to first article (FA) or product 

demonstration model (PDM) inspection as applicable, in accordance with the tests and 

inspections of Section E of the Packaging Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions. 

The approved sample shall serve as the product standard. Should the contractor at any time 

plan to, or actually produce the product using different raw material or process 

methodologies from the approved product standard, which result in a product non 

comparable to the product standard, the contractor shall arrange for a new or alternate FA or 

PDM approval. In any event, all product produced must meet all requirements of this 

document including product standard comparability.

 B. Shelf life. The product, overpacked in a barrier pouch, shall meet the minimum shelf life 

requirement of 36 months at 80°F.

 C. Appearance. The prepared product shall have the appearance of cooked white, instant, 

unflavored enriched hominy grits. The prepared product shall be free of foreign materials.

 D. Net weight. The average net weight shall be not less than 450 grams (15.9 ounces). The 

net weight of an individual pouch shall be not less than 428 grams (15.1 ounces).

 E. Physical granulation requirements. For the product specified, physical granulation 

requirements shall be in accordance with A-A-20035D.
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 F. Palatability and overall appearance. The finished product shall be equal to or better than 

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance.

 G. Analytical requirements. For the product specified, the aflatoxin and moisture content 

requirements and procedures shall be in accordance with A-A-20035D.

 H. Oxygen content. The oxygen content of the headspace gas in the barrier pouch shall not 

exceed 2.0 percent.

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. Four hundred fifty grams (15.9 oz) of product shall be packaged in a 

preformed BIB pouch as described below. The pouch shall be used as a pouch for product 

preparation and may be used as the cooking vessel for the product.

(1) BIB pouch.

 a. Pouch material. The preformed pouch shall be fabricated from 0.0020 inch thick 

LLDPE/EVOH/LLDPE laminated or extrusion coated to 0.0006 inch thick biaxially oriented 

nylon (BON) which is then bonded with 0.0020 inch thick polyethylene. All tolerances for 

thickness of pouch material shall be plus or minus 20 percent. Alternative materials shall be 

acceptable if all performance requirements are met. The material shall show no evidence of 

delamination, degradation, or foreign odor when heat sealed or fabricated into pouches. The 

material shall be suitably formulated for food packaging and shall not impart an odor or 

flavor to the product. The material shall be clear or translucent so the water level is visible 

through the pouch.

 b. Pouch construction. The pouch shall be a flat style preformed pouch having 

inside dimensions of 11-3/4 inches by 15-3/8 inches (+ 1/8 inch). The pouch shall be made 

by heat sealing three edges with 3/8 inch (-1/8, +3/16 inch) wide seals. The seals shall have 

an average seal strength of not less than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual 

specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of width when tested as 

specified in E-6,B(1)a. A heat seal, minimum 4 inches long, shall be placed in the center of 

the pouch to create a partial left/right division in the pouch. The pouch shall show no 

material degradation and shall not damage the product when the prepared product in the BIB 

pouch is placed in boiling water for 2 hours when tested in accordance with E-6,B(3).

 c. Fitment and cap. The plastic threaded fitment and cap shall have a minimum 

opening of 1-1/2 inch. The cap shall thread onto the neck to provide a liquid barrier.
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 d. Venting. The pouch shall be fitted with a one-way air venting system which 

allows air to escape and does not allow water to enter the pouch.

NOTE: BIB pouch shall be submitted to the Contracting Officer for review and 

approval and to the US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command Natick 

Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (RDNS-CFF) for review of the 

venting system.

 e. Pouch filling and sealing. Product shall be inserted into the pouch and the filled 

pouch shall be sealed with a minimum 1/8-inch wide heat seal. The closure seal shall be free 

of foldover wrinkles or entrapped matter that reduces the effective closure seal width to less 

than 1/16 inch. Seals shall be free of impression or design on the seal surface that would 

conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects. The average seal strength shall be not less 

than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less 

than 5 pounds per inch of width when tested as specified in E-6,B(1)b.

(2) Barrier pouch. Three BIB pouches and oxygen scavenger(s) shall be placed in a 

barrier foil pouch having maximum outside dimensions of 18 by 18 inches. The pouch shall 

be made from a heat sealable barrier material, one layer of which is a minimum of 0.00035 

inch thick aluminum foil. All four edges of the pouch shall be heat-sealed with seals not less 

than 1/8 inch wide. The BIB pouches and oxygen scavengers shall not be entrapped in the 

heat seals. A tear nick, notch or serrations shall be provided to facilitate opening of the filled 

and sealed pouch. The side, bottom and closure seals shall have an average seal strength of 

not less than 6 pounds per inch of width and no individual specimen shall have a seal 

strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of width when tested as specified in E-6,B(1)a. 

Alternatively, the filled and sealed pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater 

than 1/16 inch or seal separation that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 

inch when tested for internal pressure resistance as specified in E-6,B(1)c.

 

(3) Oxygen scavenger. The oxygen scavenger shall be constructed of materials that 

are safe for direct and indirect food contact, and shall be suitable for use with edible 

products. The oxygen scavenger shall be in compliance with all applicable FDA regulations.

(4) Paperboard carton. One barrier pouch shall be packed in a paperboard carton. The 

carton shall be RSC, tray or telescoping design. The paperboard shall be minimum 0.028 

inch thick and shall have a minimum basis weight of 100 pounds per square feet. The 

paperboard may be coated. The paperboard may be bleached. The use of materials composed 

of the highest percentage of recovered materials practicable is encouraged. The outside 

dimensions of the carton shall not exceed 12-1/2 by 11-1/2 by 4-1/2 inches.
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D-2 LABELING

 A. BIB pouch. Each BIB pouch shall be correctly and legibly labeled. Printing ink shall be 

permanent black ink or other dark contrasting color which is free of carcinogenic elements. A 

carcinogenic-free pre-printed self-adhering clear polyester label printed with indelible 

contrasting ink may also be used. The label shall contain the following information:

(1) Name of product (letters not less than 1/4 inch high)

(2) Ingredients

(3) Date 1/

(4) Net weight

(5) Contractor’s name and address

(6) “Nutrition Facts” label in accordance with the Nutrition Labeling and 

Education Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA regulations

NOTE: There shall be a black line, minimum 1/16 inch thick, on the pouch, indicating the 

fill level.

1/ Each pouch shall have the date of pack noted by using a four-digit code beginning with the 

final digit of the current year followed by the three digit Julian day code. For example, 14 

February 2010 would be coded as 0045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the BIB pouch.

The following instructions shall also be on the BIB pouch:
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YIELD: Serves 18 portions of approximately 1/2 cup each.

PREPARATION: Shake pouch to settle contents. Open cap. Support pouch on 

flat surface. Add about 64 fluid ounces (8 cups) of potable water to fill line. 

Replace cap. Shake pouch. If level of hominy grits is below fill line, add more 

water.

TO HEAT IN WATER: Submerge unopened pouch in water. Bring water to a 

boil. Simmer for 45 minutes. Avoid overheating (pouch shows evidence of 

bulging).

WARNING: Do not heat pouch in oven.

TO TRANSPORT AFTER HEATING: Insert pouch into an insulated food container or empty cooked hominy grits into 

an insulated food container to protect during transport.

CAUTION: Use care when opening as pressure may have been generated within the pouch.

TO OPEN: Cut bottom of pouch with a clean knife.

Note: The font tested by Natick was Microsoft Helvetica. The font used shall be similarly 

clear/easy to read as Helvetica. The recommended font sizes are as follows: 22 for the 

product name, 14 for “yield” and “to heat in water.” If an additional note is required on the 

label, such as “fluff before serving,” it should also be in font size 14. All other information 

should be in font size 9.

 B. Barrier pouch. Each barrier pouch shall be correctly and legibly labeled. Printing ink 

shall be permanent black ink or other dark contrasting color. The label shall contain the 

following information:

(1) Name of product (letters not less than 1/4 inch high)

(2) Contents

(3) Date 1/

(4) Contractor's name and address

In addition, the following warning shall be labeled:

DO NOT OPEN WITH KNIFE.

USE IMMEDIATELY. DO NOT STORE BOIL-IN-BAG POUCHES.

1/ Each pouch shall have the date of pack noted by using a four-digit code beginning with the 

final digit of the current year followed by the three digit Julian day code. For example, 14 
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February 2010 would be coded as 0045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the BIB pouch.

 C. Paperboard carton. Each carton shall be correctly and legibly labeled. Printing ink shall 

be permanent black ink or other dark contrasting color. The label shall contain the following 

information:

(1) Name of product (letters not less than 1/4 inch high)

(2) Contents

(3) Date 1/

(4) Contractor's name and address

1/ Each carton shall have the date of pack noted by using a four-digit code beginning with the 

final digit of the current year followed by the three digit Julian day code. For example, 14 

February 2010 would be coded as 0045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the BIB pouch.

The product shall be formulated and labeled in accordance with all USDA labeling 

regulations and policies. The paperboard carton shall be labeled with the following product 

name.

HOMINY GRITS, ENRICHED, WHITE, INSTANT, UNFLAVORED

D-3 PACKING

 A. Packing. Not more than 40 pounds of product shall be packed in a fiberboard shipping 

box constructed in accordance with style RSC-L of ASTM D 5118/D 5118M, Standard 

Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes. The fiberboard shall conform to type 

CF, class D, variety SW, grade 200 of ASTM D 4727/D 4727M, Standard Specification for 

Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes. Each box 

shall be closed in accordance with ASTM D 1974, Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, 

Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes.

D-4 UNITIZATION

 A. Unit loads. Unit loads shall be as specified in DSCP FORM 3507, Loads, Unit: 

Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence Items. 
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D-5 MARKING

 A. Shipping containers and unit loads. Marking of shipping containers and unit loads shall 

be as specified in DSCP FORM 3556 Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks, and Unit Loads 

of Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence.

SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

The following quality assurance criteria, utilizing ANSI/ASQ Z1.4, Sampling Procedures and 

Tables for Inspection by Attributes, are required. Unless otherwise specified, single sampling 

plans indicated in ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 will be utilized. When required, the manufacturer shall 

provide the Certificate(s) of Conformance to the appropriate inspection activity. 

Certificate(s) of Conformance not provided shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 A. Definitions.

(1) Critical defect. A critical defect is a defect that judgment and experience indicate 

would result in hazardous or unsafe conditions for individuals using, maintaining, or 

depending on the item; or a defect that judgment and experience indicate is likely to prevent 

the performance of the major end item, i.e. the consumption of the ration.

(2) Major defect. A major defect is a defect, other than critical, that is likely to result 

in failure, or to reduce materially the usability of the unit of product for its intended purpose.

(3) Minor defect. A minor defect is a defect that is not likely to reduce materially the 

usability of the unit of product for its intended purpose, or is a departure from established 

standards having little bearing on the effective use or operation of the unit.

 B. Classification of inspections. The inspection requirements specified herein are classified 

as follows:

(1) Product standard inspection. The first article or product demonstration model shall 

be inspected in accordance with the provisions of this document and evaluated for overall 

appearance and palatability. Any failure to conform to the performance requirements or any 

appearance or palatability failure, shall be cause for rejection of the lot. The approved first 

article or product demonstration model shall be used as the product standard for periodic 

review evaluations. All food components that are inspected by the USDA shall be subject to 

periodic review sampling and evaluation. The USDA shall select sample units during 

production of contracts and submit them to the following address for evaluation:
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US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command

Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center

RDNS-CFF

15 Kansas Street

Natick, MA 01760-5056

One lot shall be randomly selected during each calendar month of production. Two (2) 

sample units of each item produced shall be randomly selected from that one production lot. 

The two (2) sample units shall be shipped to Natick within five working days from the end of 

the production month and upon completion of all USDA inspection requirements. The 

sample units will be evaluated for the characteristics of appearance, odor, flavor, texture and 

overall quality.

(2) Conformance inspection. Conformance inspection shall include the product 

examination and the methods of inspection cited in this section.

E-5 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PRODUCT)

 A. Product examination. The product shall be examined for compliance with the 

performance requirements specified in A-A-20035D and Section C of the Packaging 

Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions document utilizing the double sampling 

plans indicated in ANSI/ASQ Z1.4. The lot size shall be expressed in BIB pouches. The 

sample unit shall be the contents of one BIB pouch. The inspection level shall be S-3 and the 

acceptable quality level (AQL), expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 1.5

for major defects and 6.5 for minor defects. Defects and defect classifications are listed in 

table I.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Product not type, style, flavor specified.

201 Product not white, instant, unflavored enriched hominy grits 

appearance.

Prepared product 4/

102 Product does not have a cooked white, instant, unflavored enriched 

hominy grits, characteristic corn odor or flavor.

202 Product does not have a cooked white, instant, unflavored enriched 

hominy grits appearance.

203 Product does not have a cooked white, instant, unflavored enriched

hominy grits texture. 

Net weight

204 Net weight of an individual pouch less than 428 grams (15.1

ounces). 5/

1/ Presence of any foreign materials such as, but not limited to dirt, insect parts, hair, glass, 

wood, or metal, or any foreign odors or flavors such as, but not limited to burnt, scorched, 

rancid, sour, stale, musty or moldy shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

2/ Finished product not equal to or better than the approved product standard in palatability 

and overall appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot. Palatability not applicable to 

unpreparedproduct.

3/ Enriched hominy grits shall be verified with the statement of ingredients on the label.

4/ Prepare enriched hominy grits in accordance with BIB instructions.

5/ Sample average net weight less than 450 grams (15.9 ounces) shall be cause for rejection 

of the lot.

 B. Methods of inspection.
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(1) Shelf life. The contractor shall provide a Certificate of Conformance that the 

product has a 36 month shelf life when stored at 80°F. Government verification may include 

storage for 6 months at 100°F or 36 months at 80°F. Upon completion of either storage

period, the product will be subjected to a sensory evaluation panel for appearance and 

palatability and must receive an overall score of 5 or higher based on a 9 point quality scale 

to be considered acceptable.

(2) Net weight. The net weight of the filled and sealed pouch shall be determined by 

weighing each sample unit on a suitable scale tared with a representative empty pouch. 

Results shall be reported to the nearest 1 gram or 0.1 ounce.

(3) Physical granulation requirements. Conformance to the physical granulation 

requirements shall be determined by a Certificate of Conformance (CoC).

(4) Analytical requirements. Conformance to the aflatoxin and moisture content 

requirements and procedures shall be determined by a CoC.

(5) Oxygen content. Eight filled and sealed barrier pouches shall be randomly 

selected from one lot and individually tested for oxygen content in accordance with any 

established test method. Testing shall be completed once filled and sealed pouches have 

equilibrated at room temperature for a minimum of 96 hours from the time of sealing. Test 

results shall be reported to the nearest 0.10 percent. Government verification will be 

conducted through actual testing by a Government laboratory. Any individual result not 

conforming to the oxygen content requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 A. Packaging.

(1) BIB and barrier pouch material certification. The pouch material shall be tested 

for these characteristics. A Certification of Conformance (CoC) may be accepted as evidence 

that the characteristics conform to the specified requirements. In addition, compliance to the 

requirements for inside pouch dimensions and dimensions of manufacturer's seals may be 

verified by CoC.
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Characteristic Requirement

Paragraph

Test procedure

Thickness of films for laminated 

material

D-1,A(1) and D-1,A(2) ASTM D 2103 1/

Laminated material identification

and construction

D-1,A(1) and D-1,A(2) Laboratory evaluation.

Color of BIB pouch material D-1,A(1) Fill the pouch with 

minimum 8 oz. of 

water. The water level 

in the pouch shall be 

easily discernible 

through the pouch 

material. Inability to 

discern the water level 

shall constitute a test 

failure.

1/ ASTM D 2103 Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

(2) Unfilled BIB and barrier preformed pouch certification. A CoC may be accepted 

as evidence that unfilled BIB and barrier pouches conform to the requirements specified in 

D-1,A(1) and (2). When deemed necessary by the USDA, testing of the unfilled preformed 

pouches for seal strength shall be as specified in E-6,B(1)a.

(3) Filled and sealed BIB pouch examination. The filled and sealed BIB pouches shall 

be examined for the defects listed in table II. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The 

sample unit shall be one pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in 

terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for minor defects.
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TABLE II. Filled and sealed BIB pouch defects 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

102 Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 2/

103 Presence of delamination. 3/

104 Unclean pouch. 4/

105 Pouch has foreign odor.

106 Any impression or design on the heat seal surfaces which conceals or 

impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

202 Seal width less than 1/8 inch but greater than or equal to 1/16 inch.

203 Presence of delamination. 3/

204 Center heat seal not provided.

107 Venting system missing or not functional.

108 Fitment and cap missing or does not fit or does not provide a liquid 

barrier.

205 Fill line missing or incorrect.

206 When self-adhering label is used, label not adhered to pouch (for 

example, label raised or peeled back or presence of gaps along 

perimeter).

1/ Any evidence of rodent or insect infestation shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

2/ The effective closure seal is defined as any uncontaminated, fusion bonded, continuous 

path, minimum 1/16 inch wide, from side seal to side seal that produces a hermetically sealed 

pouch.
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3/ Delamination defect classification:

Major - Delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area that can be propagated to 

expose inner barrier film at the food product edge of the pouch after manual flexing of the 

delaminated area. To flex, the delaminated area shall be held between the thumb and 

forefinger of each hand with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. The 

delaminated area shall then be rapidly flexed 10 times by rotating both hands in alternating 

clockwise- counterclockwise directions. Care shall be exercised when flexing delaminated 

areas near the tear notches to avoid tearing the pouch material. After flexing, the separated 

outer ply shall be grasped between thumb and forefinger and gently lifted toward the food 

product edge of the seal or if the separated area is too small to be held between thumb and 

forefinger, a number two stylus shall be inserted into the delaminated area and a gentle lifting 

force applied against the outer ply. If separation of the outer ply can be made to extend to the 

product edge of the seal with no discernible resistance to the gentle lifting, the delamination 

shall be classified as a major defect. Additionally, spot delamination of the outer ply in the 

body of the pouch that is able to be propagated beyond its initial borders is also a major 

defect. To determine if the laminated area is a defect, use the following procedure: Mark the 

outside edges of the delaminated area using a bold permanent marking pen. Open the pouch 

and remove the contents. Cut the pouch transversely not closer than 1/4 inch (+1/16 inch) 

from the delaminated area. The pouch shall be flexed in the area in question using the 

procedure described above. Any propagation of the delaminated area, as evidenced by the 

delaminated area exceeding the limits of the outlined borders, shall be classified as a major 

defect.

Minor - Minor delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area is acceptable and 

shall not be classified as a minor defect unless it extends to within 1/16 inch of the food 

product edge of the seal. All other minor outer ply delamination in the pouch seal area or 

isolated spots of delamination in the body of the pouch that do not propagate when flexed as 

described above shall be classified as minor defects.

4/ Outer packaging shall be free from foreign matter which is unwholesome, has the potential 

to cause pouch damage (for example, glass, metal filings) or generally detracts from the clean 

appearance of the pouch. The following examples shall not be classified as defects for 

unclean:

a. Foreign matter which presents no health hazard or potential pouch damage and 

which can be readily removed by gently shaking the package or by gently brushing the pouch 

with a clean dry cloth.

b. Dried product that affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one pouch face 

(localized and aggregate).
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5/ If doubt exists as to whether or not the sealing equipment leaves an impression or design 

on the closure seal surface that could conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects, 

samples shall be furnished to the contracting officer for a determination as to acceptability.

(4) Filled and sealed barrier pouch examination. The filled and sealed barrier pouches 

shall be examined for the defects listed in Table III. The lot size shall be expressed in 

pouches. The sample unit shall be one pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, 

expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for 

minor defects.

TABLE III. Filled and sealed barrier pouch defects 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

102 Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 2/

103 Presence of delamination. 3/

104 Unclean pouch. 4/

105 Pouch has foreign odor.

106 Any impression or design on the heat seal surfaces which conceals or 

impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/

107 Pouch does not contain one intact oxygen scavenger. 6/

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

202 Tear nick or notch or serrations missing or does not facilitate opening.

203 Seal width less than 1/8 inch but greater than or equal to 1/16 inch.

204 Presence of delamination. 3/

108 Not 3 BIB pouches in a barrier pouch.

109 BIB pouch or oxygen scavenger entrapped in heat seal of barrier pouch.

1/ Any evidence of rodent or insect infestation shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
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2/ The effective closure seal is defined as any uncontaminated, fusion bonded, continuous 

path, minimum 1/16 inch wide, from side seal to side seal that produces a hermetically sealed 

pouch.

3/ Delamination defect classification:

Major - Delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area that can be propagated to 

expose inner barrier film at the food product edge of the pouch after manual flexing of the 

delaminated area. To flex, the delaminated area shall be held between the thumb and 

forefinger of each hand with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. The 

delaminated area shall then be rapidly flexed 10 times by rotating both hands in alternating 

clockwise- counterclockwise directions. Care shall be exercised when flexing delaminated 

areas near the tear notches to avoid tearing the pouch material. After flexing, the separated 

outer ply shall be grasped between thumb and forefinger and gently lifted toward the food 

product edge of the seal or if the separated area is too small to be held between thumb and 

forefinger, a number two stylus shall be inserted into the delaminated area and a gentle lifting 

force applied against the outer ply. If separation of the outer ply can be made to extend to the 

product edge of the seal with no discernible resistance to the gentle lifting, the delamination 

shall be classified as a major defect. Additionally, spot delamination of the outer ply in the 

body of the pouch that is able to be propagated beyond its initial borders is also a major 

defect. To determine if the laminated area is a defect, use the following procedure: Mark the 

outside edges of the delaminated area using a bold permanent marking pen. Open the pouch 

and remove the contents. Cut the pouch transversely not closer than 1/4 inch (+1/16 inch) 

from the delaminated area. The pouch shall be flexed in the area in question using the 

procedure described above. Any propagation of the delaminated area, as evidenced by the 

delaminated area exceeding the limits of the outlined borders, shall be classified as a major 

defect.

Minor - Minor delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area is acceptable and 

shall not be classified as a minor defect unless it extends to within 1/16 inch of the food 

product edge of the seal. All other minor outer ply delamination in the pouch seal area or 

isolated spots of delamination in the body of the pouch that do not propagate when flexed as 

described above shall be classified as minor defects.

4/ Outer packaging shall be free from foreign matter which is unwholesome, has the potential 

to cause pouch damage (for example, glass, metal filings) or generally detracts from the clean 

appearance of the pouch. The following examples shall not be classified as defects for 

unclean:
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a. Foreign matter which presents no health hazard or potential pouch damage and 

which can be readily removed by gently shaking the package or by gently brushing the pouch 

with a clean dry cloth.

b. Dried product which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one pouch face 

(localized and aggregate).

5/ If doubt exists as to whether or not the sealing equipment leaves an impression or design 

on the closure seal surface that could conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects, 

samples shall be furnished to the contracting officer for a determination as to acceptability.

6/ Construction of the oxygen scavenger and compliance with FDA regulations will be 

verified by CoC.

 B. Methods of inspection.

(1) Seal testing. The pouch seals shall be tested for seal strength as required in a, b or 

c, as applicable.

 a. Unfilled preformed pouch seal testing. The seals of the unfilled preformed BIB or 

barrier pouch shall be tested for seal strength in accordance with ASTM F 88, Standard Test 

Method for Seal Strength of Flexible Barrier Materials. The lot size shall be expressed in 

pouches. The sample unit shall be one pouch. The sample size shall be the number of 

pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. Three adjacent specimens shall be cut from each 

of the three sealed sides of each pouch in the sample. The average seal strength of any side 

shall be calculated by averaging the three specimens cut from that side. Any average seal 

strength of less than 6 pounds per inch of width or any test specimen with a seal strength of 

less than 5 pounds per inch of width shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause 

for rejection of the lot.

 b. Pouch closure seal testing. The closure seals of the BIB or barrier pouch shall be 

tested for seal strength in accordance with ASTM F 88. The lot size shall be expressed in 

pouches. The sample unit shall be one pouch. The sample size shall be the number of 

pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. Any average seal strength of less than 6 pounds 

per inch of width or any test specimen with a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of 

width shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 c. Internal pressure test (for barrier pouch). The internal pressure resistance shall be 

determined by pressurizing the barrier pouches while they are restrained between two rigid 

plates. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The sample unit shall be one pouch. The 

sample size shall be the number of pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. If a three seal 
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tester (one that pressurizes the pouch through an open end) is used, the closure seal shall be 

cut off for testing the side and bottom seals of the pouch. For testing the closure seal, the 

bottom seal shall be cut off. The pouches shall be emptied prior to testing. If a four-seal tester 

(designed to pressurize filled pouches by use of a hypodermic needle through the pouch wall) 

is used, all four seals can be tested simultaneously. The distance between rigid restraining 

plates on the four-seal tester shall be equal to the thickness of the product +1/16 inch. 

Pressure shall be applied at the approximate uniform rate of 1 pound per square inch gage 

(psig) per second until 14 psig pressure is reached. The 14 psig pressure shall be held 

constant for 30 seconds and then released. The pouches shall then be examined for separation 

or yield of the heat seals. Any rupture of the pouch or evidence of seal separation greater than 

1/16 inch in the pouch manufacturer’s seal shall be considered a test failure. Any seal 

separation that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch (see table II, 

footnote 2/) shall be considered a test failure. Any test failure shall be classified as a major 

defect and shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(2) Label adhesive examination. When self-adhering labels are used, the adhesive 

shall be tested in accordance with ASTM D 3330/D 3330M, Standard Test Method for Peel 

Adhesion of Pressure-Sensitive Tape. In lieu of testing, a CoC shall be provided.

(3) BIB in boiling water test. Prepared BIB hominy grits pouches shall be tested for 

durability in boiling water. The lot size shall be expressed in BIB pouches. The inspection 

level shall be S-2. The prepared BIB pouches shall be placed in boiling water for two hours. 

After removal from the boiling water, the pouches shall be inspected. Any delamination or 

degradation of the BIB pouch or damage to the product shall be classified as a major defect 

and shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 C. Paperboard carton. The filled and closed paperboard cartons shall be examined for the 

defects listed in table IV. The lot size shall be expressed in paperboard boxes. The sample 

unit shall be one carton fully packed. The inspection level shall be S-3 and the AQL, 

expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 4.0 for major defects and 10.0 for 

total defects.

TABLE IV. Paperboard carton and label defects

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Labeling missing or incorrect or illegible.

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 Does not contain one filled and sealed barrier pouch.
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1/ Inadequate workmanship is defined as, but not limited to, incomplete closure of container 

flaps, inadequate or improper closure, or bulged or distorted container.

 D. Packing.

(1) Shipping container and marking examination. The filled and sealed shipping 

containers shall be examined for the defects listed in table V. The lot size shall be expressed 

in shipping containers. The sample unit shall be one shipping container fully packed. The 

inspection level shall be S-3 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, 

shall be 4.0 for major defects and 10.0 for total defects.

TABLE V. Shipping container and marking defects

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Marking missing or incorrect or illegible.

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 More than 40 pounds of product.

1/ Inadequate workmanship is defined as, but not limited to, incomplete closure of container 

flaps, loose strapping, inadequate stapling, improper taping, or bulged or distorted container.

 E. Unitization.

(1) Unit load examination. The unit load shall be examined in accordance with the 

requirements of DSCP FORM 3507, Loads, Unit: Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence 

Items. Any nonconformance shall be classified as a major defect.

SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Unless otherwise specified, the issues of these documents are those active on the date of the 

solicitation or contract.

DSCP FORMS

DSCP FORM 3507 Loads, Unit: Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence 

Items

DSCP FORM 3556 Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks, and Unit Loads of 

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence
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NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR QUALITY (ASQ) www.asq.org

ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by 

Attributes

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

D 1974 Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and 

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

D 2103 Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

D 3330/ D 330M Standard Test Method for Peel Adhesion of PressureSensitive Tape

D 4727/D 4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid 

Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut 

Shapes

D 5118/D5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes

F 88 Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of Flexible 

Barrier Materials