INCH-POUND 

 MIL-C-44072C 

 30 April 1990

 SUPERSEDING 

 MIL-C-44072B 

 9 December 1987 

 W/CHANGE 12 February 2003

MILITARY SPECIFICATION 

COOKIES, OATMEAL; AND BROWNIES; COCOLATE COVERED 

This specification is approved for use by all Departments and Agencies of the Department of 

Defense. 

 1. SCOPE

 1.1 Scope. This specification covers chocolate covered oatmeal cookies and chocolate 

covered brownies inflexible bags for use by the Department of Defense as a component of 

operational rations. 

 1.2 Classification. The product shall be of the following types as specified (see 6.1): 

 Type I - Brownies, chocolate covered 

 Type II - Oatmeal cookies, chocolate covered 

 2. APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

 2.1 Government documents 

 2.1.1 Specifications, standards and handbooks. The following specifications, standards, and 

handbooks form a part of this document to the extent specified herein. Unless otherwise 

specified, the issues of these documents are those listed in the issue of the Department of 

Defense Index of Specifications and Standards (DODISS) and supplement thereto, cited in the 

solicitation (see 6.1) 

 

Beneficial comments (recommendations, additions, deletions) and any pertinent data which 

may be of use in improving this document should be addressed to: Commander, U.S. Army 

Soldier Systems Command, Natick Research, Development, and Engineering Center, ATTN: 

SSCNC-WRE, Natick, MA 01760-5018 by using the self-addressed Standardization Document 

Improvement Proposal (DD Form 1426) appearing at the end of this document or by letter. 

AMSC N/A FSC 8920 

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. 

 SPECIFICATIONS 
MIL-C-44072C 

 FEDERAL

 L-P-378 - Plastic Sheet and Strip, Thin Gauge, Polyolefin 

 QQ-A-1876 - Aluminum foil 

 PPP-B-636 - Boxes, Shipping, Fiberboard 

 

 STANDARDS 

 FEDERAL

 FED-STD-595 - Colors 

 MILITARY 

MIL-STD-105 - Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by 

 Attributes 

MIL-STD-129 - Marking for Shipment and Storage 

 (Unless otherwise indicated, copies of federal and military specifications, standards, and 

handbooks are available from the Standardization Documents Order Desk, Building 4D, 700 

Robbins Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094.) 

2.1.2 Other Government documents, drawings, publications. The following other 

Government documents, drawings, and publications form a part of this document to the extent 

specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the issues are those cited in the solicitation. 

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACENCY (EPA) 

National Primary Drinking Water Regulations 

(Copies are available from the Office of Drinking Water, Environmental Protection Agency, 

WH550D, 401 M Street, S.W., Washington, DC 20460.) 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRIGULTURE (USDA) 

Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg Products (7 CFR Part 59) 

(Copies are available from Poultry Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. 

Department of Agriculture, Room 3932, South Building, P.O. Box 96456, Washington, DC 

20090-6456.) 

U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Almonds 

U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Pecans 

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MIL-C-44072C 

U.S. Standards for Shelled English Walnuts 

(Copies are available from the Head, Standardization Section, Fresh Products Branch, Fruit 

and Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room

2056, South Building, Washington, DC 20090-6456.) 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (HHS) 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder (21 CFR 

Parts 1-199) 

(Copies are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing 

Office, Washington, DC 20402-0001.) 

2.2 Non-Government publications. The following documents form a part of this document to the 

extent specified herein. Unless otherwise specified, the issues of the documents which are DOD 

adopted are those listed in the issue of the DODISS cited in the solicitation. Unless otherwise 

specified, the issues of documents not listed in the DODISS are the issues of the documents cited in 

the solicitation (see 6.1). 

AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF CEREAL CHEMISTS (AACC) 

Approved Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists 

(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Association of Cereal Chemists, 

3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121.) 

AMERICAN OIL CHEMIST SOCIETY (AOCS) 

Official and Tentative Methods of the American Oil Chemists Society 

(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Oil Chemists Society, 508 South 

Sixth Street, Champaign, IL 61820.) 

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR TESTING AND MATERIALS (ASTM) 

D 882 - Tensile Properties of Thin Plastic Sheeting 

D 1238 - Flow Rates of Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer 

D 1505 - Density of Plastics by Density Gradient Technique 

 

(Application for copies should be addressed to the American Society for Testing and Materials, 

1916 Race Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-1187.) 

ASSOCIATION OF OFFICIAL ANALYTICAL CHEMISTS (AOAC) 

Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists 

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MIL-C-44072C 

(Application for copies should be addressed to AOAC International, 2200 Wilson Boulevard, 

Suite 400-CD, Arlington, VA 22201-3301.) 

NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 

 Food Chemicals Codex 

(Application for copies should be addressed to the National Academy Press, 2101 Constitution 

Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20418.) 

(Non-Government standards and other publications are normally available from the organizations 

that prepare or distribute the documents. These documents also may be available in or through 

libraries or other informational services.) 

2.3 Order of precedence. In the event of a conflict between the text of this document and the 

references cited herein, the text of this document takes precedence. Nothing in this document, 

however, supersedes applicable laws and regulations unless a specific exemption has been obtained. 

3. REQUIREMENTS

3.1 First article. When specified (see 6.1), a sample shall be subjected to first article inspection 

(see 6.2), in accordance with 4.4. 

3.2 Ingredients. All ingredients shall be clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign material, 

evidence of rodent or insect infestation, extraneous material, off-odors, off-flavors, and off-colors. 

3.2.1 Sugar. Sugar shall be white, refined, granulated, cane or beet sugar. Powdered sugar of 

equivalent quality may be substituted for part of the granulated sugar in the brownie formula to 

control spread. 

3.2.2 Oatmeal. Oatmeal shall be the commercial product known as quick cooking oatmeal. It 

shall have natural rolled oat flavor and odor and shall be clean and free from burned particles, rancid, 

musty, sour, or other undesirable flavors and odors. 

3.2.3 Flour. Flour for brownies shall be enriched wheat flour made from hard or soft wheat, shall 

be bleached or unbleached, and shall be of the commercial grade known as bread flour. For the 

oatmeal cookies, the flour shall be from soft wheat, shall be of the type know as cookie flour, and 

shall be enriched, bleached or unbleached. 

3.2.4 Shortening, hydrogenated. Shortening shall be a refined, hydrogenated vegetable oil or 

combination of refined vegetable oils which are in common use by the baking industry. Coconut and 

palm kernel oils may be used only in the coating. The shortening shall have a stability of not less 

than 100 hours as determined by the Active Oxygen Method (AOM) in Method Cd 12-57 of the 

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MIL-C-44072C 

Commercial Fats and Oils chapter in the Official and Tentative Methods of the American Oil 

Chemists Society. The shortening may contain alpha monoglycerides and an antioxidant or 

combination of antioxidants, as permitted by the Federal Grain Inspection Service (FGIS), and the 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. 

3.2.5 Nuts. 

3.2.5.1 Nuts, almonds, shelled. Shelled almond pieces shall be of the small piece size 

classification and shall be U.S. No. 1 Pieces of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Almonds. A 

minimum of 95 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch diameter round hole 

screen and not more than 5 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch diameter round hole 

screen. The shelled almonds shall be coated with an approved food grade antioxidant and shall be of 

the latest season's crop. 

3.2.5.2 Nuts, pecans, shelled. Shelled pecan pieces shall be of the small piece size classification, 

shall be of a light color, and shall be U.S. Grade No. 1 Pieces of the U.S. Standards for Grades of 

Shelled Pecans. A minimum of 90 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch 

diameter round hole screen and not more than 2 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch 

diameter round hole screen. The shelled pecans shall be coated with an approved food grade 

antioxidant and shall be of the latest season's crop. 

3.2.5.3 Nuts, walnuts, shelled. Shelled walnut pieces shall be of the small piece size 

classification, shall be of a light color, and shall be U.S. No. 1 of the U.S. Standards for Shelled 

English Walnuts. A minimum of 90 percent, by weight, of the pieces shall pass through a 4/16-inch 

diameter round hole screen and not more than 1 percent, by weight, shall pass through a 2/16-inch 

diameter round hole screen. the shelled walnuts shall be coated with an approved food grade 

antioxidant and shall be of the latest season's crop. 

3.2.6 Whole eggs, liquid or frozen. Whole eggs may be liquid or frozen and shall have been 

processed and labeled in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg 

Products (7 CFR Part 59). The whole eggs shall be egg whites and egg yolks in their natural 

proportions as broken directly from the shell eggs as evidenced by a USDA Egg Products Inspection 

Certificate. For liquid whole eggs, the USDA certificate shall state the date and time of 

pasteurization. Liquid whole eggs shall be held at a temperature of 400

F or lower and shall be held 

for not more than 72 hours from the time of pasteurization until the start of formulation of the product 

in which they are used. Frozen whole eggs shall be held at 100

F or lower and used within 120 days 

from the date of production. The whole eggs shall be free from off-odors and off-flavors, such as 

sulfide-like, fruity, sour, musty, or metallic, and shall be free from foreign materials. 

3.2.6.1 Eggs, whole, dried. Dried whole eggs or free-flowing dried whole eggs may be used. The 

anticaking ingredient in the free-flowing dried whole eggs may be either silicon dioxide or sodium

silicoaluminate. The amount of silicon dioxide shall be not more than 1 percent by weight of the 

dried whole eggs, and the amount of sodium silicoaluminate shall be less than 2 percent by weight of 

the dried whole eggs. The dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried whole eggs shall contain not less 

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MIL-C-44072C 

than 95 percent by weight of the dried whole eggs. The dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried 

whole eggs shall contain not less than 95 percent by weight total eggs solids, and shall have been 

processed and labeled in accordance with the Regulations Governing the Inspection of Eggs and Egg 

Products (7 CFR Part 59), as evidenced by the USDA egg products inspection shield on the label. 

Dried whole eggs and free-flowing dried whole eggs shall be smooth and free from lumps that do not 

fall apart under light pressure; free from scorched, burnt, sulfurous, or other pronounced off-odors 

and off-flavors; and free from foreign materials. 

3.2.7 Water. Water used for ice making, formulation, and washing shall conform to the National 

Primary Drinking Water Regulations. 

3.2.8 Cocoa. Cocoa shall be natural process cocoa of the type known as medium fat cocoa. 

3.2.9 Dextrose. Dextrose shall be anhydrous or dextrose hydrate. 

3.2.10 Soda. Soda shall be fine powdered sodium bicarbonate, which meets the requirements of 

the Food Chemicals Codex. 

3.2.11 Salt. Salt shall be white, noniodized, refined sodium chloride, with or without anticaking 

agents. 

3.2.12 Chemical leavening. chemical leavening shall be any combination of edible leavening 

agents used in the commercial production of brownies. 

3.2.13 Flavoring. Flavoring shall be vanillin, ethyl vanillin, or a mixture thereof.

3.2.15 Vitamins. Vitamin A shall be a refined concentrate of vitamin A ester (palmitate). When 

added to the chocolate or confections, it shall not impart a fishy or objectionable odor or flavor to the 

finished product. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and thiamine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, and 

pyridoxine hydrochloride shall be of Food Chemicals Codex grade. 

3.2.16 Pregelatinized starch. Pregelatinized starch shall be derived from corn, tapioca, or any 

other farinaceous product. It shall be precooked and processed to produce a food grade thickener 

stabilizer of a white color and a powdery texture. 

3.2.17 Wheat gluten. Wheat gluten shall be made from wheat flour which has been treated for the 

almost complete removal of the starch. It shall have been processed to an off-white powder. 

3.2.18 Emulsifiers. Lecithin, polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate, and sorbitan 

monostearate shall comply with the Food Chemicals Codex. 

3.2.19 Fat. Vegetable fat for the chocolate coating shall be natural or hydrogenated coconut, palm

kernel, babasu, tucum, or other high lauric acid oils or mixtures thereof, or a mixture of one or more 

of these which not more than 25 percent hydrogenated peanut oil or cottonseed oil, or both combined. 

 The fats shall have a minimum stability of 100 hours when measured by the active oxygen method 

(AOM). They shall retain satisfactory odor, flavor, and color after heating to a temperature of 4000

F. 

 The free fatty acid content shall be not greater than 0.08 percent prior to the addition of an 

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MIL-C-44072C 

antioxidant mixture or 0.1 percent after the addition of antioxidant mixture A, B, C, D, or E specified 

in 3.2.19.1. The moisture and volatile matter shall not exceed 0.1 percent after the addition of 

antioxidant mixture A, B, C, D, or E. The fat shall be adequately protected against oxidative 

rancidity, at time of manufacture or by the processor, by the addition of 0.1 percent by weight of an 

antioxidant mixture specified in 3.2.19.1. The melting point and solid fat indices shall be as follows: 

Wiley Melting Point: 1170

F to 1190F

Solid Ft Index: 0

F Percent Solid

50 68

70 58

80 52

92 30

110 12 maximum

3.2.19.1 Antioxidant mixture. Antioxidant mixtures shall consist of ingredients in the proportion 

specified as follows: 

Ingredient Percent of mixture

A B C D E

Edible solvent, not more than 70 74 60 67 70 

Butylated hydroxyanisole, not less than 20 20 20 4 20 

Butylated hydroxytoluene, not less than -- -- 20 20 -- 

Citric acid 4 6 -- 4 4

Propyl gallate, not less than 6 -- -- 5 -- 

TBHQ (Tertiary butylhydroquinone), not less than -- -- -- -- 6 

Any one of the mixtures may be used. Antioxidants shall comply with the Food Chemical Codex. 

3.3 Brownie, oatmeal cookie and chocolate coating preparation and processing. 

3.3.1 Brownie formula. The formula for the brownie shall be as follows: 

Ingredient Parts by weight

Sugar 1/ 23.0

Flour 2/ 21.0

Shortening 16.8

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MIL-C-44072C 

Nuts 3/ 16.0

whole eggs (liquid basis) 4/ 5/ 13.0

Cocoa 5.5

Dextrose, anhydrous 4.4 

Salt .03

Chemical leavening As required 

Flavoring Trace

 

1/ Powdered sugar may be substituted for part of the granulated sugar to control spread. 

2/ Pregelatinized starch, malted barley flour, wheat gluten or any combination thereof may be 

substituted for a part of the flour to obtain proper dough consistency. 

3/ Nuts shall be either almonds, pecans, or walnuts or any combination thereof. 

4/ Frozen whole eggs shall be tempered/thawed and held at an internal temperature of 280

F to 400F 

for not more than 24 hours prior to product preparation. 

5/ Whole eggs, dried, may be substituted for whole eggs (liquid basis) by following the 

manufacturer's recommended rehydration and mixing procedures and shall have no less than the 

equivalent amount of whole egg solids as the liquid basis. The water shall be adjusted to ensure 

compliance with moisture requirements of the baked brownie prior to coating. 

3.3.2 Brownie preparation. (NOTE: The contractor is not required to follow the exact procedure 

shown below provided that the brownies conform to all finished product requirements in 3.4.) 

a. Whip eggs in large bowl on high speed until light and fluffy. 

b. Combine sugars, cocoa, salt, and leavening; add to beaten eggs, and whip on high speed 

until thick. 

c. Add shortening slowly while mixing on low speed. 

d. Scrape bowl and whip on high speed until thick. 

e. Mix flour, nuts, and flavors together and fold into batter; mix until uniform. 

f. Pour batter into pan at a rate that will yield uncoated brownies which, when cut such as to 

meet the dimension requirements specified in 3.4f, will weigh approximately 35 grams each. 

(Experimentally, a panning rate of 14 to 16 grams per square inch was used.) 

g. Bake at 3500

F until done (30 to 45 minutes). 

3.3.3 Brownie cutting. The brownies shall be cut to the appropriate size when cool (see 3.4f). 

3.3.4 Brownie moisture content. The moisture content of the uncoated brownie shall be not more 

than 8.0 percent. 

3.3.5 Brownie coating. The brownies shall be completely enrobed with a continuous uniform

chocolate coating (see 3.2.14) in an amount which shall be not less than 29 percent by weight of the 

finished product. 

3.3.6 Oatmeal cookie formula. The formula for the oatmeal cookie shall be as follows: 

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MIL-C-44072C 

Ingredient Parts by weight 

Sugar (sucrose) 34.0 

Oatmeal 30.0

Shortening 17.0

Flour 1/ 14.0

Water (variable) 10.0 

Eggs (dry whole basis) 2.0 

Dextrose 2.0

Soda (variable) 2/ 0.5

Salt 0.5

1/ Pregelatinized starch may be substituted for a portion of the flour to obtain proper dough 

consistency. 

2/ A slight amount of leavening acid may be used to control spread. 

3.3.7 Oatmeal cookie preparation. The ingredients shall be mixed in a batter, deposited, and 

baked until done as indicated by normal color and texture. The oatmeal cookies shall be baked and 

handled in such a fashion that they remain intact. 

3.3.8 Oatmeal cookie moisture content. The moisture content of the uncoated baked cookie bar 

shall be not more than 3.5 percent. 

3.3.9 Oatmeal cookie coating. The oatmeal cookies shall be completely covered with a 

continuous uniform chocolate coating (see 3.2.14) in an amount which shall be not less than 40 

percent by weight of the finished product. 

3.3.10 Chocolate coating formula. The formula for the chocolate coating shall be as follows: 

Ingredient 1/ Percent by weight

Cocoa powder, medium Not less than 8.0 

Nonfat dry milk Not less than 12.0 

Added fat Not less than 30.0 

Lecithin Not more than 0.2 

Sorbitan monostearate Not more than 0.5 

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MIL-C-44072C 

Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate Not more than 0.5 

Sugar Not more than 48.5 

Salt (per 100 pounds of coating) 2 ounces 

Vanillin (per 100 pounds of coating) 1 ounce 

1/ The coating shall be enriched with vitamins in not less than the following amounts: 

Thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate) 8.0 mg per pound 

Pyridoxine (as pyridoxine hydrochloride) 8.0 mg per pound 

Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) 320.0 mg per pound 

Vitamin A 20,000 I.U. per pound 

(NOTE: Estimated loss of vitamins due to processing is approximately 15 percent for all but thiamine 

which is about 30 percent. The amounts cited above shall represent after-processing values.) 

3.3.11 Chocolate coating preparation. The formula for chocolate coating shall be blended on a 

dry-solids basis. Sorbitan monostearate and polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate shall be 

melted, mixed with the added fat and the dry-solids blend and brought to a temperature of not less 

than 1500

F. The mixture shall be held at that temperature or higher for a period of at least 30 minutes. 

 The coating shall be refined (20 microns or less, 7/10,000 inch) so that is has a smooth mouthfeel 

without grittiness. The coating shall be such that, when the vacuum packaged product (at least 72 

hours after manufacture) is held at a temperature of 1000

F for two hours, the product can be easily 

removed from the bag without loss of coating. The product shall be allowed to cool at a temperature 

between 400

F and 700F, for resolidification to occur, for approximately one hour prior to performing 

the test. The chocolate coating shall be Salmonella free (see 4.5.1.4). 

3.4 Finished product requirements (brownies and oatmeal cookies). The finished product shall 

comply with the following requirements, as applicable: 

a. There shall be no foreign material such as, but not limited to, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, 

glass, or metal. 

b. There shall be no foreign odor or flavor such as, but not limited to, burnt, scorched, stale, 

sour, rancid, musty, or moldy. 

c. There shall be no color foreign to the product. 

d. Chocolate coating shall completely cover the product. 

e. Product shall not be broken or crushed. 

f. The dimensions of the coated brownie shall not exceed 3-1/2 inches by 2-1/2 inches by 5/8 

inch. 

g. The weight of the coated brownie shall be not less than 46 grams. 

h. The texture of the brownie shall be firm but not hard. 

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MIL-C-44072C 

i. The rectangular shaped coated oatmeal cookie shall not exceed 3-1/2 by 2-1/2 inches and 

shall not exceed 7/16 inch thickness. 

j. The interior of the coated oatmeal cookie shall be crisp and have the characteristic flavor of 

oatmeal. 

k. The weight of the coated oatmeal cookie shall be not less than 43 grams. 

l. The chocolate coating shall be free from cracks, chips or rough spots. 

3.4.1 Palatability. The finished product shall be equal to or better than the preproduction sample 

(see 6.1) in palatability and overall appearance. 

3.5 Plant qualification. The product shall be prepared, processed, and packaged in establishments 

meeting the requirements of 21 CFR, code of Federal Regulations, Part 110, “Current Good 

Manufacturing Practice in Manufacturing, Packaging or Holding Human Food,” and the plant 

sanitation requirements of the appropriate Government inspection agency. 

3.6 Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. All deliveries shall conform in every respect to the 

provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and regulations promulgated thereunder. 

4. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

4.1 Contractor’s responsibility. Inspection and acceptance by the USDA shall not relieve the 

contractor of obligation and responsibility to deliver a product complying with all requirements of this 

specification. The contractor shall ensure product compliance prior to submitting the product to the 

USDA for any inspection. 

4.2 Inspection and certification. Product acceptability shall be determined by the USDA. The 

USDA will determine the degree of inspection and supervision necessary to ensure compliance with 

the requirements of this specification. 

4.3 Classification of inspections. The inspection requirements specified herein are classified as 

follows: 

a. First article inspection (see 4.4). 

b. Quality conformance inspection (see 4.5). 

4.4 First article inspection. When a first article is required (see 6.1), it shall be inspected in 

accordance with the quality assurance provisions of this specification and evaluated for overall 

appearance and palatability. Any failure to conform to the quality assurance provisions of this 

specification or any appearance or palatability failure shall be cause for rejection of the first article. 

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MIL-C-44072C 

4.5 Quality conformance inspection. Unless otherwise specified, sampling for inspection shall be 

performed in accordance with MIL-STD-105. 

4.5.1 Component and material examination. In accordance with 4.1, components and materials 

shall be inspected in accordance with all the requirements of referenced documents unless otherwise 

excluded, amended, modified, or qualified in this specification or applicable purchase document. 

 

4.5.1.1 Ingredient and component examination. Conformance of ingredients and components to 

identity, condition, and other requirements specified in 3.2 shall be certified by the ingredient supplier 

or ingredient manufacturer, and compliance shall be verified by examination of pertinent labels, 

markings, U.S. Grade Certificates, certificates of analyses, or other such valid documents acceptable 

to the inspection agency. If necessary, each ingredient shall be examined organoleptically or 

inspected according to generally recognized test methods such as the standard methods described in 

the Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Analytical Chemists and in the Approved 

Methods of the American Association of Cereal Chemists, to determine conformance to the 

requirements. Any nonconformance to an identity, condition, or other requirement shall be cause for 

rejection of the ingredient or component lot or of any involved products. 

4.5.1.2 Laminated bag material certification. The material listed below may be accepted on the 

basis of a contractor’s certificate of compliance to the indicated requirements. Thickness tolerances 

as specified in L-P-378 and QQ-A-1876, as applicable, shall apply. 

Material requirement

Requirement 

paragraph Test procedure

Ionomer or polyethylene 

 film thickness 

5.1.1.1 and 

5.1.2.1 

As specified in L-P-378 

except that a machinists’ 

micrometer may be used 

provided that its graduations and accuracy conform 

to the requirement of 

L-P-378 

Material requirement

Requirement 

paragraph Test procedure

Polyester film thickness 5.1.1.1 and 

5.1.2.1 

As above 

Aluminum foil thickness 5.1.1.1 and 

5.1.2.1 

As specified in QQ-A-1876 

Laminated material construction 5.1.1.1 and 

5.1.2.1 

Laboratory evaluation 

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MIL-C-44072C 

Color of laminated material 5.1.1.1 and 5..2.1 Visual examination 

4.5.1.3 Unfilled preformed bag seal strength testing. The unfilled preformed bags shall be tested 

for seal strength in accordance with Method A or B of ASTM D 882, except that testing speed may be 

10 or 12 inches per minute. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample size shall be the 

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

the three sealed sides of each bag in the sample. The results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 

pound. The average seal strength of each seal shall be calculated by averaging the strengths of the 

three test specimens cut from that seal. Any test specimen failing to meet the individual test specimen 

seal strength requirement specified in 5.1.1.1.1 or any seal failing to meet the average seal strength 

requirement specified in 5.1.1.1.1 shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

4.5.1.4 Chocolate coating microbiological certification. The chocolate coating shall be 

Salmonella free when tested in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC, 

method 967.26. The chocolate coating may be accepted on a contractor's certification of compliance 

to the Salmonella requirement in 3.3.11. Any nonconformance to the requirement in 3.3.11 shall be 

cause for rejection of the component lot or any involved product. 

4.5.2 In-process inspection. 

4.5.2.1 In-process examination. In-process examination shall be performed to determine 

conformance to the preparation, processing, holding, bag filling and sealing, and bulk pack handling 

requirements. Any nonconformance revealed by actual examination or by review of records of time, 

temperature, and formulation or of other valid documents shall be cause for rejection of the involved 

product. 

4.5.2.2 In-process moisture content testing. The baked brownie or oatmeal cookie, as applicable, 

prior to coating, shall be tested for moisture content in accordance with the Official Methods of 

Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC): Chapter: Cereal Foods; section: 

Total Solids (Moisture, Indirect Method); Method: Vacuum Oven Method except that the drying 

cycle shall be 16 hours at 70C under a pressure of not more than 100 mm Hg. The sample unit shall 

be one brownie or one oatmeal cookie. Results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. Any 

sample unit not conforming to the moisture content requirement in 3.3.4 or 3.3.8, as applicable, shall 

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

expressed in units of one brownie or one oatmeal cookie as applicable. The inspection level shall be 

S-2. 

4.5.3 In-process coating weight examination. Prior to coating, a sample of 20 brownies or 

oatmeal cookie, as applicable, shall be randomly selected from the lot, identified, and weighed. After 

coating, the sample 20 brownies or oatmeal cookies shall be reweighed. The coating weight as a 

percentage of the product weight shall be calculated to the nearest 1 percent as follows: 

Coating weight, percent = Coated product weight – Uncoated product weight x100 

 Coated product weight 

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MIL-C-44072C 

Nonconformance with the coating weight requirements in 3.3.5 or 3.3.9, as applicable, shall be a 

major defect and be cause for rejection of the lot. 

4.5.3 Product inspection (when unit packing in bags as specified in 5.1.1 is required). 

4.5.3.1 Net weight inspection. The net weight of the filled and sealed bags shall be determined by 

separately weighing each sample unit on a suitable scale tared with an average weight of 

representative empty bags. Results shall be reported to the nearest gram. Any individual sample unit 

having a net weight of less than 46 grams for brownies or less than 43 grams for oatmeal cookies shall 

be classified as a minor defect. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one 

filled and sealed bag. The inspection level shall be –3 and the acceptable quality level (AQL), 

expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 2.5. 

4.5.3.2 Filled and sealed bag examination. The filled and sealed bags shall be examined for the 

defects listed in table I. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled 

and sealed bag. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects pr hundred 

units, shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for minor defects. 

TABLE I. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/ 

Category Defect 

Major Minor

101 Tear, 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. 

14
MIL-C-44072C 

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/ 

201 Label missing, incorrect, or illegible. 

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

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

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 clockwisecounterclockwise 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 

15
MIL-C-44072C 

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). 

c. Water spots. 

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. 

4.5.3.3 Bag vacuum examination. The filled and vacuum sealed bags shall be visually examined 

for proper vacuum level not less than 96 hours after filling and sealing. The sealed bag shall continue 

to exhibit a tight adherence to the surface contours of the product 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, and simultaneously exerting a slight pull with both hands. The bag material 

shall resist this pulling force as evidenced by the material quickly returning to conform to the product 

edges when the pulling force is relieved. Any evidence of loss of vacuum shall be considered a major 

defect. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. 

The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 

0.65. 

4.5.3.4 Product inspection. The finished product shall be examined for the defects listed in table 

II. The lot size shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be the contents of one filled and 

sealed bag. The sample unit shall be the contents of one filled and sealed bag. The inspection level 

16
MIL-C-44072C 

shall be S-4 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 2.5 for major 

defects and 4.0 for minor defects. 

TABLE II. Product defects. 1/ 2/ 

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Size not as specified. 

102 Oatmeal cookie interior not crisp. 

103 Texture of brownie hard or not firm. 

104 Coating not completely covering product. 

105 Brownie or oatmeal cookie crushed. 3/ 

201 Brownie or oatmeal cookie broken (broken off edges not exceedin

1/16 inch maximum are considered acceptable.) 

106 Flavor not characteristic of oatmeal (oatmeal cookie only). 

107 Coating adheres to bag. 

108 Coating not free from cracks, chips or rough spots. 

1/ The presence of foreign material (for example, glass, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, glass, or metal), 

foreign odor or off-flavor (for example, burnt, scorched, stale, sour, rancid, musty, moldy), or foreign 

color shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

2/ Product not equal to or better than the approved preproduction sample (see 6.1) in palatability and 

overall appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot. (This comparison shall be performed only 

when deemed necessary by an Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) agent.) 

3/ A crushed item is one in which 1/8 or more the volume of the item has been reduced to crumbs. 

4.5.5 Bag closure seal testing. The filled and sealed bags shall be tested in accordance with 

method A or B of ASTM D 882, except that the testing speed may be 10 or 12 inches per minute. For 

preformed bags, three adjacent specimens, 1/2 or 1 inch wide, shall be cut from the closure seal of 

each bag in the sample. For the form-fill-seal bags, three adjacent specimens, 1/2 or 1 inch wide shall 

be cut from each side and each end of each bag in the sample. For the preformed bag, the average 

seal strength of the closure seal shall be calculated by averaging the test results of the three test 

specimens cut from that seal. For the form-fill-seal bag, the average seal strength of each side and 

end of the bag shall be calculated by averaging the test results of the three specimens cut from that 

side or end. The results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 pound per inch of width. The lot size 

17
MIL-C-44072C 

shall be expressed in bags. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed bag. The sample size shall 

be the number of bags indicated by inspection level S-1. Any test specimen or average seal strength 

failing to meet the requirements of 5.1.1.1.2 and 5.1.2.1.1 shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

4.5.5.1 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 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 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 shall be considered a test failure. Any test failure shall be 

cause for rejection of the lot. 

4.5.6 Shipping container examination. Shipping containers shall be examined for defects in 

assembly, closure, and reinforcement (when applicable) in accordance with PPP-B-636. In addition, 

the following defects shall be classified as follows: 

Major: Marking missing, incorrect or illegible. 

Minor: More than 2 percent (to nearest unit) under marked count. 

Pad or liner missing or not material specified. 

Bulk pack layers not separated by food grade parchment or bleached 

greaseproof paper or oatmeal cookies or brownies not wrapped in 

cellophane, as applicable. 

Height of liner not as specified (see 5.2.2). 

In addition, the lot shall be rejected if sample data indicate lot average is less than marked count. 

5. PACKAGING

18
MIL-C-44072C 

Meal, Ready-to-Eat, Individual”/Food Packet, Long Range Patrol. 

When the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie is procured as a component of the MRE, 

the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be packaged in accordance with 5.1. 

Meal, Cold Weather. 

When the chocolate covered oatmeal brownie or the chocolate covered oatmeal cookie 

are procured as components of the MCW, one chocolate covered brownie or one 

chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be packaged in accordance with 5.1. 

5.1 Preservation. When specified (see 6.1), the product shall be preserved in accordance 

with level A. 

5.1.1 Level A. One chocolate covered brownie or one chocolate covered oatmeal cookie shall be 

unit packed in bags as specified in 5.1.1.1 or 5.1.2.1. When product is held for more than 24 hours 

prior to unit packing, the product shall be stored at 800

F or below and if storage time exceeds 30 days, 

the product shall be stored at 00

F or below. 

5.1.1.1 Preformed bags. The preformed bags 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 

laminated to 0.0005-inch thick polyester. The three pliers shall be laminated so that the aluminum

foil is between the other two layers. The bag shall be formed with the polyester on the exterior of the 

bag. The exterior bag color for MRE and LRP applications shall conform to number 20219, 30219, 

30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of FED-STD-595. For MCW applications, the complete 

exterior of the bag shall be covered overall with a white color in the range of 37778 through 37886 of 

FED-STD-595. The material shall show no evidence of delamination or degradation when heat 

sealed or fabricated into bags and shall not transfer any foreign odor or flavor to the product being 

packed. 

5.1.1.1.1 Bag construction. The bag shall be formed by heat sealing to the size and design 

configuration as shown in figure 1, except that squared or rounded corners are acceptable. The heat 

seals shall be made in a manner that will assure the hermetic quality of the bag. 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 when tested as specified in 4.5.1.3. 

5.1.1.1.2 Bag filling and sealing. The brownie or the oatmeal cookie shall be placed into the bag 

in such a manner as to avoid contamination of the closure seal area. The filled bag shall be closed 

under a vacuum of not less than 22 and not more than 25 inches of mercury (see 4.5.3.3) with a heat 

seal not less than 1/4 inch wide. If thermal impulse or combination (heated curved bar with thermal 

impulse) sealing is used, any seal width from 1/8 to 7/16 inch will be acceptable. The closure seal 

location shall be as shown in figure 1. The average seal strength shall be not less than 6 pounds per 

linear inch, and no individual test specimen seal strength shall be less than 5 pounds when tested as 

specified in 4.5.5. 

5.1.2.1 Form-fill-seal bags. Form-fill-seal bags shall consist of a tray-shaped body with a heat 

19
MIL-C-44072C 

sealable cover. The tray-shaped body of each bag shall be fabricated from 0.002-inch thick linear low 

density polyethylene bonded to 0.0007-inch thick aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream

polyethylene, and the opposite side of the aluminum foil shall be bonded to 0.00075-inch thick 

oriented polypropylene with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene. The cover of each bag shall be 

fabricated from 0.002 inch thick linear low density polyethylene bonded to 0.00035-inch thick 

aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene and bonding 0.0005-inch thick polyester to the 

opposite side of the aluminum foil with 10 pounds per ream polyethylene. The linear low density 

polyethylene 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 D 1238 and a density range of 0.918 to 0.922 g/cm3

 in 

accordance with ASTM D 1505. The color requirements of the exterior (polyethylene or polyester 

sides) of each laminate shall be as specified in 5.1.1.1. the material shall show no evidence of 

delamination or degradation when heat sealed or fabricated into bags and shall not transfer any 

foreign odor or flavor to the product being packed. 

5.1.2.1.1 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. When specified, one 

unit of product shall be placed in the tray-shaped body of the pouch. The filled pouch body shall be 

hermetically sealed with a vacuum level of not less than 22 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. Pouch integrity and air tightness of the closure seals shall 

be tested in accordance with 4.5.3.3. 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 when tested as specified in 4.5.5. 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 4.5.5.1. The maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouch shall be 4 to 5-1/2 inches 

wide by 5-1/4 to 6 inches long. A tear notch or serrations shall be provided on one outside edge or 

two opposite outside edges of the pouch to facilitate easy 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 occluded matter. Seals shall be free of 

impression or design on the seal surface that would conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects. 

5.2 Packing. Level C packing. Packing shall be in accordance with 5.2.1. 

5.2.1 Oatmeal cookies and brownies unit packed. When oatmeal cookies or brownies are 

preserved in accordance with 5.1, not more than 200 unit packs shall be packed flat in a snug-fitting 

fiberboard box constructed and closed in accordance with style RSC-L, type CF, class domestic, 

variety SW, grade 175 of PPP-B-636. 

5.3 Labeling and marking. 

5.3.1 Unit packs. Each unit (see 5.1.1) shall be clearly printed or stamped with permanent ink in 

large letters which is free of carcinogenic elements or ingredients. The color of the printing ink shall 

conform to number 20045, 20122, 30045, 30099, 30108, 30111, or 30140 of FED-STD-595. The 

following information shall be included: 

20
MIL-C-44072C 

a. Product name 

b. Date 1/ 

c. Net weight 

d. Contractors name and address 

e. "Nutrition Facts" label in accordance with the Nutritional Labeling and Education Act 

(NLEA) and all applicable FDA/USDA regulations. 

5.3.2 Shipping containers. In addition to any special marking required by the contractor or 

purchase order, shipping containers shall be marked in accordance with MIL-STD-129. 

6. NOTES

(This section contains information of a general or explanatory nature that may be helpful, but is 

not mandatory.) 

6.1 Acquisition requirements. Acquisition documents must specify the following: 

a. Title, number, and date of this specification. 

b. Type of product required (see 1.2). 

c. Issue of DODISS to be cited in the solicitation, and if required, the specific issue of 

individual documents referenced (see 2.1.1 and 2.2). 

d. When a first article is required (see 3.1, 4.4, and 6.3). 

e. Provisions for approved preproduction samples (see 3.4.1 and 6.3). 

f. When unit packing in accordance with 5.1 is required. 

6.2 Award of contract. Award of contracts for the product specified in this document will be 

limited to plants known to maintain the required sanitation conditions of 3.5. 

6.3 First article. When a first article is required, it shall be inspected and approved under 

the appropriate provisions of FAR 52.209-4. The first article should be a preproduction sample. 

 The contracting officer should specify the appropriate type of first article and the number of 

units to be furnished. The contracting officer should also include specific instructions in 

acquisition documents regarding arrangements for selection, inspection, and approval of the first 

article. 

6.4 Appropriate level of pack. Based on the conditions known or expected to be encountered 

during shipment, handling and storage of the specific item being procured, the procuring activity 

should select the appropriate level of pack in accordance with the criteria established in AR 700-

15/NAVSUPINST 4030.28/AFR 71-6/MCO 4030.33A/DLAR 4145.7. 

6.5 Subject term (key word) listing. 

 Dessert 

 Operational rations 

6.6 Changes from previous issue. Marginal notations are not used in this revision to identify 

21
MIL-C-44072C 

changes with respect to the previous issue due to the extensiveness of the changes.

 Custodians: Preparing activity: 

 Army – GL Army - GL 

 Navy - SA 

 Air Force – 50 (Project 8920-0530) 

 Review activities: 

 Army – MD, QM 

 Navy - MC 

 DP - SS 

 

AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003 

TO: DSCP-HRAC (Galligan/8030) 

SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification 

changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered 

 

1. Subsequent to our interim response in January 03 that this case required clarification, a 

teleconference was held between Clem Galligan, DSCP, Mr. Andy Lobmeyer, Sterling Foods 

and Mr. Peter Sherman, this Center. During teleconference Mr. Lobmeyer elucidated the intent 

of his request. In the spirit of the exchange among the parties involved in the teleconference 

and the understanding that the document was last updated in 1990, Mr. Sherman held further 

discussions with Mr. Andy Konrady, QA FEST, and document updates were agreed upon. 

Accordingly, the following changes to MIL-C-44072C, are provided for use in all current, 

pending and future procurements until the document is formally amended or revised: 

22
MIL-C-44072C 

- Paragraph 5.1.2.1.1, delete in its entirety and substitute: 

“ 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. When 

specified, one unit of product shall be placed in the tray-shaped body of the pouch. The filled 

pouch body shall be hermetically sealed with a vacuum level of not less than 22 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. Pouch integrity 

and air tightness of the closure seals shall be tested in accordance with 4.5.3.3. 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 when tested as 

specified in 4.5.5. 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 4.5.5.1. The 

maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouch shall be 4 to 5-1/2 inches wide by 5-1/4 to 6 

inches long. A tear notch or serrations shall be provided on one outside edge or two opposite 

outside edges of the pouch to facilitate easy 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 occluded matter. Seals shall be free of 

impression or design on the seal surface that would conceal or impair visual detection of seal 

defects.”

- Table I and associated footnotes, delete in its entirety and substitute new Table I and 

associated footnotes as follows: 

AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003 

SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification 

changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered 

TABLE I. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/ 

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear, hole, or open seal. 

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

103 Presence of delamination. 3/ 

23
MIL-C-44072C 

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/ 

201 Label missing, incorrect, or illegible. 

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

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

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 clockwisecounterclockwise 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 

AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003 

SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification 

changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered 

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 

24
MIL-C-44072C 

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 which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one pouch face

(localized and aggregate). 

c. Water spots. 

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 

AMSSB-RCF—F(N) (Richards/5037) 12 February 2003 

SUBJECT: Follow-Up to ES03-038-S, (DSCP-SS-03-01620), Reply to Request for specification 

changes; MIL-C-44072C, Cookies, Oatmeal, and Brownies, Chocolate Covered 

25
MIL-C-44072C 

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. 

Table II, delete defect 109 and associated footnotes 4/ and 5/. 

 DONALD A. HAMLIN 

 Team Leader 

 DoD Food Engineering 

 Services Team

(ARichards) 

 

CF: NSC: CF: DSCP & SVCs: 

Acheson Anthony 

Alyward Arthur 

Arcidiacono Beward 

Friel Ferrante 

Hamlin Kavanagh 

Hill Lowry 

Konrady A. Malason 

Richards Miller 

Sherman Richardson H. 

Trottier Salerno 

Valvano 

26