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SECTION C

This document covers snack foods packaged in a flexible 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-20195E SNACK FOODS

Types, styles, and flavors.

Type II - Pretzels

Style C – Sticks

 Flavor 1 – Plain, salted

Style E – Nuggets

 Flavor 2 – Honey mustard and onion

Style F – Filled pretzels

 Flavor 1 – Cheddar cheese

Type V – Baked snack crackers

Flavor 1 – Cheddar cheese

Flavor 2 – Hot and spicy cheese

Type VI – Toasted corn kernels

Flavor 1 – Plain, salted

Flavor 2 – Barbecue

Type VII – Cheese-filled crackers

Flavor 1 – Cheddar cheese

Flavor 2 – Pepperoni pizza

Type IX – Protein puffs, ring shaped

Flavor 1 – Barbecue
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Packages.

Package A - Meal, Cold Weather

Package C - Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE)

Package J - First Strike Ration® (FSR)

Package L - Food Packet, Modular Operational Ration Enhancement (MORE) 

Package M - Close Combat Assault Ration (CCAR)

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 this Packaging Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions

document. 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 noncomparable 

to the product standard, the contractor shall submit a replacement FA or PDM for approval. 

In any event, all product produced must meet all requirements of this document including 

product standard comparability.

 B. Shelf life. The packaged product shall meet the minimum shelf life requirement of 36 

months at 80oF.

 C. Net weight.

(1) Type II, Styles C and E. The net weight of one serving shall be 28 grams.

(2) Type II, Style F. The net weight of one serving shall be 51 grams.

(3) Type V. The net weight of one serving shall be 47 grams.

(4) Type VI. The net weight of one serving shall be 57 grams.

(5) Type VII. The net weight of one serving shall be 48 grams.

(6) Type IX. The net weight of one serving shall be 32 grams.
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 D. Palatability and overall appearance. The finished product shall be equal to or better than 

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance.

 E. Analytical requirements.

(1) Moisture, protein, fat, and sodium. For all types, the moisture, protein, fat, and 

sodium content requirements, procedures and testing shall be in accordance with A-A20195E.

(2) Oxygen. The oxygen content of the filled and sealed pouch for Type II, Styles C, 

E and F, Type V, Type VI, Type VII and Type IX, shall not exceed 0.30 percent.

 F. Aflatoxin. For Type VI, the aflatoxin content of the corn kernels used to produce the 

toasted corn kernels shall be negative (15 ppb or less).

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. The snack foods shall be packaged in a preformed or form-fill-seal barrier 

pouch as described below. For Type II, Styles C, and E, Type V, Type VI, Type VII, Flavor 

1, and Type IX, the pouch shall contain one oxygen scavenger.

(1) Preformed pouch.

a. Pouch material. The preformed pouch shall be fabricated from 0.002 inch thick 

ionomer or polyethylene film laminated or extrusion coated to 0.00035 inch thick aluminum 

foil which is then laminated to 0.0005 inch thick polyester. Tolerances for thickness of 

plastic films shall be plus or minus 20 percent and tolerance for the foil layer shall be plus or 

minus 10 percent. 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 

complete exterior surface of the pouch shall be uniformly colored and shall conform to 

number 20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of SAE AMS-STD-595, 

Colors Used in Government Procurement.

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

maximum inside dimensions of 5 inches wide by 7-1/4 inches long. The pouch shall be made 
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by heat sealing three edges with 3/8 inch (-1/8 inch, +3/16 inch) wide seals. The side and 

bottom 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.

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. A tear nick, notch, or serrations shall be 

provided to facilitate opening of the filled and sealed pouch. A 1/8 inch wide lip may be 

incorporated at the open end of the pouch.

c. Pouch filling and sealing. The product and one oxygen scavenger (if applicable) 

shall be inserted into the pouch. The filled pouch shall be sealed. For package M only, the 

filled pouch shall be sealed under a vacuum of 15 to 20 inches of mercury 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. 

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.

(2) Horizontal form-fill-seal pouch.

a. Pouch material. The horizontal form-fill-seal pouch shall consist of a formed 

tray-shaped body with a flat sheet, heat sealable cover or a tray-shaped body with a trayshaped heat sealable cover. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be 

fabricated from a 3-ply flexible laminate barrier material consisting of, from outside to 

inside, 0.0009 inch thick oriented polypropylene bonded to 0.0007 inch thick aluminum foil 

with 10 pounds per ream pigmented polyethylene or adhesive and bonding the opposite side 

of the aluminum foil to 0.003 inch thick ionomer or a blend of not less than 50 percent linear 

low density polyethylene and polyethylene. The linear low density polyethylene portion of 

the blend shall be the copolymer of ethylene and octene-1 having a melt index range of 0.8 to 

1.2 g/10 minutes in accordance with ASTM D1238, Standard Test Method for Melt Flow 

Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer and a density range of 0.918 to 0.922 g/cc 

in accordance with ASTM D1505, Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by the 

Density- Gradient Technique. Alternatively, 0.0005 inch thick polyester may be used in place 

of the oriented polypropylene as the outer ply of the laminate. The flat sheet cover shall be 

made of the same 3-ply laminate as specified for the tray-shaped body except the aluminum 
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foil thickness may be 0.00035 inch. Tolerances for thickness of plastic films shall be plus or 

minus 20 percent and tolerance for the foil layer shall be plus or minus 10 percent. The color 

requirements of the exterior (oriented polypropylene or polyester side) of the laminate shall 

be as specified in D-1,A(1)a. 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 any odor or flavor to the 

product.

b. Pouch construction. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be 

formed by drawing the flexible laminate material into an appropriately shaped cavity. The 

flat cover shall be in the form of a flat sheet of the barrier material taken from roll stock. The

product and one oxygen scavenger (if applicable) shall be placed into the tray-shaped body of 

the pouch. For package M only, the product shall be placed into the tray-shaped body of the 

pouch and sealed under a vacuum of 15 to 20 inches of mercury. Pouch closure shall be 

effected by heat sealing together the cover and body along the entire pouch perimeter. The 

closure seal width shall be a minimum of 1/8 inch. The closure seal 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. 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. The maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouches shall be 

5-1/2 inches wide by 8-5/8 inches long. A tear nick, notch, or serrations shall be provided to 

facilitate opening of the filled and sealed pouch. The sealed pouch shall not show any 

evidence of material degradation, aluminum stress cracking, delamination or foreign odor. 

Heat seals shall be free of 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.

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

are safe for direct food contact. The oxygen scavenger shall be in compliance with all 

applicable Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.

D-2 LABELING

 A. Pouches. Each 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. 

The label shall contain the following information:
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(1) Name and flavor of product (letters not less than 1/8 inch high) 

(2) Ingredients

(3) Date 1/

(4) Net weight 

(5) Name and address of packer

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

Education Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA regulations

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 2020 would be coded as 0045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the pouch.

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 D5118/D5118M, Standard 

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

CF, class D, variety SW, minimum burst grade 200 or ECT 32 of ASTM D4727/D4727M, 

Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) 

and Cut Shapes. Each box shall be closed in accordance with ASTM D1974/D1974M, 

Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes. 

D-5 MARKING

 A. Shipping containers. Shipping containers shall be marked in accordance with DLA 

Troop Support 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.
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(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 

appearance, odor, flavor, and texture. Any failure to conform to the performance 

requirements or any appearance or palatability failure shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(2) Periodic review evaluation. 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:

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

FCDD-SCC-EMR

COMBAT CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMAND-SOLDIER CENTER

10 GENERAL GREENE AVENUE

NATICK, MA 01760-5056

One lot shall be randomly selected during each calendar month of production or as otherwise 

specified in the contract. Three (3) sample units shall be randomly selected from that one 

production lot. The three (3) sample units shall be shipped to Natick within five (5) working 

days from the end of the production month from which they are randomly selected and upon 

completion of all USDA inspection requirements. The sample units will be evaluated for 

overall quality against the current first article or product demonstration model.
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(3) Conformance inspection. Conformance inspection shall include the 

examinations/tests and methods of inspection cited in this section.

E-5 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PRODUCT)

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

performance requirements specified in A-A-20195E and Section C of this 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 pouches. The sample 

unit shall be the contents of one 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 4.0 for minor defects. Defects and defect classifications are listed in table I.

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Product not type or not style or not flavor as specified.

102 Pouch does not contain one intact oxygen scavenger. 4/

201 Types II, V, VII and IX shall not contain more than 30 percent by 

weight of broken pieces per serving. 5/

Type II - Pretzels - Style C - Sticks (flavor 1) 4/ 5/

103 Pretzels do not have a hard surface or do not have a dry center or do 

not have a crunchy texture.

104 Pretzels do not have a baked wheat flour odor or flavor.

105 Pretzels do not have a golden-brown exterior color or do not have a 

creamy-white interior color.

Type II - Pretzels - Style E - Nuggets (flavor 2) 4/ 5/

106 Pretzel nuggets do not have a hard surface or do not have a dry center 

or do not have a crunchy texture.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

107 Pretzel nuggets do not have a baked wheat flour or not slightly sweet or 

not a mustard and onion odor or flavor.

108 Pretzel nuggets do not have a golden-brown exterior color or do not 

have a creamy-white interior color or do not have a dusting of visible 

yellow spices.

Type II - Pretzels - Style F - Filled pretzels (flavor 1) 5/ 6/ 7/

109 Cheese filled pretzel does not consist of a puffed or extruded 

cylindrical pretzel shell surrounding a cheese filling.

110 Percent filling less than 32 percent by weight of the filled pretzel. 

111 Pretzel shell does not have a crunchy texture.

202 Cheese filled pretzel filling not soft or not slightly chalky.

112 Pretzel shell does not have a baked wheat flour odor or flavor.

203 Pretzel shell does not have a golden-brown exterior color with a hard 

glossy surface.

204 Cheese filled pretzel filling not an orange-brown color.

113 Flavor 1, cheddar cheese filled pretzel filling does not have a slightly

tangy cheddar cheese flavor.

Type V - Baked snack cracker (flavors 1 and 2) 4/ 5/

114 Finished baked snack crackers do not have a symmetrical, 3/4 to 1-1/4 

inch (1.9 - 3.2 cm) size.

115 Snack crackers do not have a firm, crispy texture.

205 Snack crackers do not have a raised “air baked” appearance.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

206 Snack crackers do not have perforated edges around the wafer.

116 Snack crackers do not have a baked wheat cracker flavor or odor.

117 Flavor 1, cheddar cheese snack crackers do not have a fresh or not

tangy or not dehydrated cheddar cheese odor or flavor.

118 Flavor 2, hot and spicy cheese snack crackers do not have a spicy 

jalapeno or not dehydrated cheese odor or flavor.

207 Flavor 1, cheddar cheese snack crackers do not have a light to medium 

orange color.

208 Flavor 2, hot and spicy cheese snack crackers do not have a dark 

orange color.

Type VI - Toasted corn kernels (flavors 1 and 2) 4/ 8/ 9/ 10/ 11/

119 Toasted corn kernel texture not crispy or not lightly crunchy or kernels 

are hard.

120 Flavor 1, toasted corn kernels do not have a toasted corn or not salty or 

not slight oil flavor or a toasted corn odor.

121 Flavor 2, toasted corn kernels do not have a mild spicy or not barbecue 

odor or flavor.

122 Flavor 1, toasted corn kernels do not have a bright to moderate goldenyellow color with fine grain salt on the surface.

123 Flavor 2, toasted corn kernels do not have a light to medium red color 

with fine grain salt and spice particles on the surface.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

Type VII - Cheese filled crackers (flavors 1 4/ and 2) 5/ 6/ 7/

124 Cheese filled cracker does not consist of a cylindrical cracker shell 

surrounding a cheese filling.

125 Percent filling less than 32 percent by weight of the filled pretzel.

126 Cheese filled cracker shell does not have a crunchy or not a dry texture.

209 Cheese filled cracker filling not soft or not slightly chalky.

127 Cheese filled cracker shell does not have a baked wheat cracker odor or 

flavor.

128 Flavor 1, cheddar cheese filled cracker filling does not have a mild or 

not a tangy cheddar cheese flavor.

129 Flavor 2, pepperoni pizza cheese filled cracker filling does not have a 

mild tomato or pepperoni and cheese flavor.

210 Cheese filled cracker shell does not have a golden-brown color with 

salt crystals that adhere to the surface.

211 Cheese filled cracker filling does not have an orange-brown color.

Type IX – Protein puffs, ring shaped (flavor 1) 4/ 5/

212 Flavor 1, ring shaped protein puffs are not approximately 1/2 – 3/4 inch 

in diameter.

213 Flavor 1, ring shaped protein puffs are not crispy or not crunchy or do 

not have a dry center.

214 Flavor 1, ring shaped protein puffs do not have a reddish-orange 

exterior color or do not have an off-white interior color.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

130 Flavor 1, ring shaped protein puffs do not have a moderate smoky 

barbecue, or not a paprika odor or flavor.

215 Flavor 1, ring shaped protein puffs do not have a slight to moderate 

heat.

Net weight

216 For Type II, Styles C and E, net weight of an individual pouch less than 

28 grams.

217 For Type II, Style F, net weight of an individual pouch less than 

51grams.

218 For Type V, net weight of an individual pouch less than 47 grams.

219 For Type VI, net weight of an individual pouch less than 57 grams.

220 For Type VII, net weight of an individual pouch less than 48 grams.

221 For Type IX, net weight of an individual pouch less than 32 grams.

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.

3/ Sodium and fat content shall be verified by the product supplier’s Certificate of Analysis 

(CoA). If government verification testing is performed for sodium and fat contents on a filled 

and sealed lot, product shall be tested in accordance with A-A-20195E.
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4/ Applicable to Type II, Styles C, and E, Type V, Type VI, Type VII, Flavor 1, and Type 

IX. Construction of the oxygen scavenger and compliance with FDA regulations shall be 

verified by a Certificate of Conformance (CoC).

5/ Verification that at least 30 percent broken pieces by weight of the pretzels, crackers, and 

protein puffs in the finished product shall be verified by USDA on the first production lot of 

a contract cycle or in the case a new snack supplier is obtained. A CoC for intact product

shall be provided on all future lots produced using the same snack supplier.

6/ Pouches which contain an amount of discolored, burnt, crushed or very small pieces which 

materially distract from the overall good quality, appearance, and palatability of the product 

shall be classified as a major defect.

7/ For Type II, Style F and Type VII, the percent filling requirement shall be verified by a 

CoC.

8/ Corn kernel size and the requirement that toasted corn kernels be prepared from whole 

hybrid corn kernels that have been steam baked/toasted shall be verified by a CoC.

9/ The contractor shall provide a CoA from the USDA, AMS, Science and Technology 

Programs (S&TP) laboratory stating that the aflatoxin content of the corn kernels used to

produce the toasted corn kernels is 15 ppb or less. Failure to meet the 15 ppb aflatoxin limit

or loss of traceability shall be cause for rejection of the toasted corn kernel lot(s).

10/ The contractor shall provide a CoC identifying all toasted corn kernel lot numbers and 

their respective lot weights that are traceable to the accompanying USDA Aflatoxin CoA.

11/ If more than 30 days have elapsed between the date of the USDA Aflatoxin CoA for the 

corn kernel ingredient and the date the toasted corn kernels are packaged for the final 

product, the contractor shall provide a CoC certifying that all toasted corn kernel lots have 

been stored at less than 80°F and less than 75 percent relative humidity.

 B. Methods of inspection.

(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 
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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.

 a. Commercially wrapped product in pouch. The net weight shall be verified with 

the label on the commercial package. Product not conforming to the net weight requirement, 

as specified, shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 b. Non-commercially wrapped product in pouch. The net weight of the filled and 

sealed pouches shall be determined by weighing each sample unit on a suitable scale tared 

with a representative empty pouch and oxygen scavenger, as applicable. Results shall be 

reported to the nearest gram. Product not conforming to the net weight requirement, as 

specified, shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(3) Oxygen testing. Eight filled and sealed pouches shall be randomly selected from 

one production lot and individually tested for oxygen content. Testing shall be accomplished 

after the filled and sealed pouches have been allowed to equilibrate at room temperature for 

not less than 48 hours from the time of sealing. Test results shall be reported to the nearest 

0.01 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.

(4) Aflatoxin testing. The sample to be analyzed shall be a composite of eight filled 

and sealed pouches which have been selected at random from the lot. The composited sample 

shall be prepared and analyzed in accordance with the OMA of AOAC International method 

991.31 with preparation of the sample performed according to AOAC method 977.16. Test 

results shall be reported to the nearest whole number. Government verification will be 

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

the requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

NOTE: The following conditions apply for aflatoxin testing:

a. For prepackaged toasted corn kernels product received from a supplier which

are not further processed, the contractor will furnish a CoA that the aflatoxin in the 

corn kernels represented is not greater than 15 ppb. No additional testing is required. 

Results shall be reported to the nearest whole number.
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b. For corn kernels received in bulk (to be used in toasted corn kernels end item), 

the contractor can accept a USDA certificate that the aflatoxin in the bulk lot is below 

15 ppb. If a USDA certificate does not accompany the bulk lot, the following 

alternate method of inspection may be used. The contractor shall have the bulk 

shipment sampled and tested by USDA. (Sampling shall take place at the contractor 

location where the finished product will be placed into the pouch.)

(i) Three sets of representative, independently-drawn samples shall be 

submitted to the laboratory for testing – the number of sampling points and quantity 

of corn kernels per sampling point to be determined using USDA procedures. Each of 

the three sets of samples shall be composited and respectively designated as test 

sample 1, test sample 2, and test sample 3.

(ii) Lots will be reported as negative for aflatoxin if test sample 1 has an 

aflatoxin level at or below 5 ppb. If test sample 1 is at or above 25 ppb the lot fails. 

(iii) If the aflatoxin level for test sample 1 is above 5 ppb and less than 25 ppb, 

test sample 2 may be analyzed. Test results for test sample 1 and 2 will be averaged. 

If the average aflatoxin level for test samples 1 and 2 is 10 ppb or less the lot will be 

reported as negative for aflatoxin, but fails if the aflatoxin level is at or above 20 ppb. 

(iv) If the average value for test samples 1 and 2 is above 10 ppb but less than 

20 ppb, test sample 3 may be analyzed. The results of test samples 1, 2 and 3 will be 

averaged. If the average aflatoxin level for test samples 1, 2, and 3 is 15 ppb or less 

the lot will be reported as negative for aflatoxin. If the average aflatoxin level for test 

samples 1, 2, and 3 is above 15 ppb the lot fails. 

(v) Bulk lots determined to be conforming for aflatoxin as evidenced by a 

USDA certificate, in accordance with the above procedures will be considered 

acceptable for use as ingredients. Results shall be reported to the nearest whole 

number. No additional finished product aflatoxin testing is required if the end item 

lots are manufactured using that bulk product and both the bulk and end item lots’ 

identities have been preserved. Bulk corn kernels with aflatoxin greater than 15 ppb 

shall not be used as ingredients.

c. If corn kernels are received in bulk (to be used in toasted corn kernels end 

item), and the conditions in (b) above are not met, each end-item lot of toasted corn 

kernels must be sampled and tested by USDA. End item lots determined to have not 
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greater than 15 ppb in aflatoxin in the toasted corn kernels ingredient as evidenced by 

a USDA Certificate will be considered acceptable.

NOTE: A USDA CoA on corn kernels which have been kept in storage (at less than 

80°F and less than 75 percent relative humidity) is acceptable. Contractor must attest 

to these storage conditions. If storage conditions for the corn kernels are not 

established, a USDA CoA for aflatoxin on the corn kernels will be considered current 

if not more than 30 days have elapsed since the date of the analysis.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 A. Packaging.

(1) Pouch material certification. The pouch material shall be tested for these 

characteristics. A Certificate of Conformance (CoC) may be accepted as evidence that the 

characteristics conform to the specified requirements.

Characteristic Requirement paragraph Test procedure

Thickness of films for laminated 

material

D-1,A(1)a and D-1,A(2)a ASTM D2103 1/

Aluminum foil thickness D-1,A(1)a and D-1,A(2)a ASTM B479 2/

Laminated material 

identification and construction

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

Color of laminated material D-1,A(1)a and D-1,A(2)a SAE AMS-STD-595 3/

1/ Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

2/ Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Foil for Flexible 

Barrier, Food Contact, and Other Applications

3/ Colors Used in Government Procurement

(2) Unfilled preformed pouch certification. A CoC may be accepted as evidence that 

unfilled pouches conform to the requirements specified in D-1,A(1)a and b. When deemed 
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necessary by the USDA, testing of the unfilled preformed pouches for seal strength shall be 

as specified in E-6,B(1)a.

(3) Pouch vacuum examination (Package M). The filled and sealed pouches shall be 

visually examined for conformance to the vacuum requirement not less than 96 hours after 

filling and sealing. The sealed pouch shall continue to exhibit tight adherence to the surface 

contours of the contents when a pulling force is applied at the center of each side seal. This 

force shall be applied by holding each side seal between thumb and forefinger of each hand, 

while simultaneously exerting a slight pull with both hands. Any evidence of loss of vacuum 

shall be classified as a major defect. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The sample 

unit shall be one filled and sealed pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, 

expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65.

(34) Filled and sealed pouch examination. The filled and sealed 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.

TABLE II. Filled and sealed 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 Not packaged as specified.

108 Presence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil. 6/ 7/
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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. 2/

204 Presence of delamination. 3/

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.

3/ Delamination defect classification:

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

expose aluminum foil 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.
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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 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/ Applicable to form-fill-seal pouches only.

7/ The initial examination shall be a visual examination of the closed package. Any suspected 

visual evidence of stress cracks in the aluminum foil (streaks, breaks, or other disruptions in 

the laminated film) shall be verified by the following physical examination. To examine for 

stress cracks, the inside surface of both tray-shaped bodies shall be placed over a light source 

and the outside surface observed for the passage of light. Observation of light through the 

pouch material in the form of a curved or straight line greater than 2 mm in length shall be 

evidence of the presence of stress cracks. Observation of light through the pouch material in 

the form of a curved or straight line 2 mm in length or smaller or of a single pinpoint shall be 

considered a pinhole. Observation of ten or more pinholes per pouch shall be evidence of 

material degradation.
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 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 

pouch shall be tested for seal strength in accordance with ASTM F88/F88M, Standard Test 

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

pouches. The sample unit shall be one unfilled 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 pouches shall be tested for 

seal strength in accordance with ASTM F88/F88M. 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. For the closure seal on preformed pouches, three 

adjacent specimens shall be cut from the closure seal of each pouch in the sample. For the

form-fill-seal pouches, three adjacent specimens shall be cut from each side and each end of 

each pouch in the sample. The average seal strength of any side, end or closure shall be 

calculated by averaging the three specimens cut from that side, end or closure. 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. The internal pressure resistance shall be determined by 

pressurizing the pouches while they are restrained between two rigid plates. The sample size 

shall be the number of pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. If a three-seal tester (one 

that pressurizes the pouch through an open end) is used, the closure seal shall be cut off for 

testing the side and end of the pouch and the distance between restraining plates shall be 1/2 

inch. 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 

as close to 1/2 inch as possible while accommodating the thickness of the product, the 
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product may be manipulated to fit within the confines of the restraining apparatus. Pressure 

shall be applied at the rate of 1-2 pounds 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.

 C. Packing.

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

containers shall be examined for the defects listed in table III. 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 III. 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.
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SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Unless otherwise specified, the applicable version of these documents is that which is active 

on the date of the solicitation or contract

DLA Troop Support Form

Form 3556 Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks, and Unit Loads 

of Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

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

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

Attributes

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

 B479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum 

and Aluminum-Alloy Foil for Flexible Barrier, 

Food Contact, and Other Applications

 D1238 Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of 

Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer 

 D1505 Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by 

the Density-Gradient Technique 

 D1974/D1974M Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, 

Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

 D2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and 

Sheeting 
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 D4727/D4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and

Solid Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container

Grade) and Cut Shapes

 D5118/D5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes

 F88/F88M Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of 

Flexible Barrier Materials

SAE INTERNATIONAL www.sae.org

SAE AMS-STD-595 Colors Used in Government Procurement