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SECTION C

This document covers shelf stable toaster pastries packaged in flexible pouches 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-20211B, TOASTER PASTRIES, SHELF STABLE

Types, styles, flavors, frosting options, grain compositions, fortification, shape, and 

servings.

Type I - Regular

Style A 

-

Unfrosted

 Flavor 3- Brown Sugar Cinnamon

 Flavor 4- Apple Cinnamon

Style B - Frosted without sprinkles

 Flavor 3- Brown Sugar Cinnamon

 Flavor 12- Chocolate Chip

1/ Verify with supplier availability of toaster pastries with whole wheat flour.

Frosting option (B) - Without sprinkles

Frosting option (C) - With swirled or drizzled icing

Grain composition (1)- Enriched wheat flour

Grain composition (2)- Whole wheat flour 1/ 

Comment [RAV1]: Natick case ES09-155, 

change 01, 1 Mar 10 Document changes for new 

classification (frosting, grains) added.

Various highlighted and strike 

through changes are located 

throughout this document. Careful 

review is strongly recommended. See 

memo at the end of document for a 

summary of change
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Shape i - Rectangular

Servings (a) - Single serving packet

Packages.

Package A - Meal, Cold Weather (MCW)

Package B - Food Packet, Long Range Patrol (LRP)

Package C - Meal, Ready-to-EatTM (MRETM)

Package D - Arctic Supplement (ARC Sup)

Package J - First Strike Ration® (FSR®)

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. 

The approved sample shall serve as the Product Standard. Should the contractor at any time 

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

methodologies from the approved Product Standard, which result in a product non 

comparable to the Product Standard, the contractor shall arrange for a new or alternate

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 80o

F.

 C. Net weight. The product shall have a net weight of not less than 45 grams.

 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.

Fortification a- Fortified 

Fortification b- Nont Fortified 
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(1) Nutrient content. The calorie content per serving shall be not less than 190 

calories.

(2) Moisture content. The moisture content shall be not greater than 14.5 percent. 

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. When specified, the toaster pastry with or without commercial wrapping 

shall be packed in a preformed or form-fill-seal barrier pouch as described below. 

(1) Preformed pouches.

 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 foil layers 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. For 

package A (MCW), the complete exterior surface of the pouch shall be colored white overall 

with a color in the range of 37778 through 37886 of FED-STD-595, Colors Used in 

Government Procurement. For package B (LRP), package C (MRETM), and package D (ARC 

Sup) and package J (FSR®) the complete exterior surface of the pouch shall be uniformly 

colored with 20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of FED-STD-595.

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

maximum inside dimensions of 4 inches wide by 7 inches long. The pouch shall be made 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 when 

tested as specified in E-6,B,(1),a. Alternatively, the pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal 

separation greater than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure resistance as specified in 

E-6,B,(1),c. 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.
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 c. Pouch filling and sealing. Product shall be inserted into the pouch and the filled 

pouch shall be vacuum sealed under a vacuum level of 12-15 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 when tested as specified in E-6,B,(1),b. Alternatively, the filled and sealed pouch shall 

exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch or seal separation that reduces the 

effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure resistance 

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

(2) Horizontal form-fill-seal pouches.

 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 D 1238, 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 D 1505, Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by DensityGradient 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 foil 

thickness may be 0.00035 inch. Tolerances for thickness of plastic films shall be plus or 

minus 20 percent and tolerance for 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.
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 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. 

Product as specified in D-1, A shall be placed into the tray-shaped body of the pouch. The 

filled pouch shall be sealed with a vacuum level of 15-20 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 when tested as 

specified in E-6,B,(1),b. 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 E6,B,(1),c. The maximum outside dimensions of the sealed pouches shall be 5 1/2 inches wide 

by 7 3/8 inches long. A tear nick, notch, or serrations shall be provided to facilitate opening 

of the filled and sealed pouch. The sealed pouches 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. 

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: 

(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 
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February 200710 would be coded as 70045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the pouch.

NOTE: For commercially packaged items that are over wrapped, the above information shall 

be printed on either the inner or outer package or both. The product name and date shall be 

printed on the outer package.

D-3 PACKING

 A. Packing for shipment to ration assembler. Not more than 40 pounds of pouched product 

shall be packed in a fiberboard shipping container box constructed in accordance with style 

RSC-L, class domestic, variety SW, grade 200 of ASTM D 5118/D 5118M, Standard 

Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes. Each container shall be securely 

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

and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes.

D-5 MARKING

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

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

Semiperishable Subsistence.

SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

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

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

Sampling Plans indicated in ANSI/ASQ Z1.4 will be utilized. When required, the 

manufacturer shall provide the Certificate(s) of Conformance (CoC) to the appropriate 

inspection activity. CoC(s) not provided shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
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 A. Definitions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

production of contracts and submit them to the following address for evaluation:

US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command 

Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center

AMSRD-NSC-CF-F RDNS-CFF

15 Kansas Street

Natick, MA 01760-50185056

One lot shall be randomly selected during each calendar month of production. Six (6) sample 

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

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

production month and upon completion of all USDA inspection requirements. The sample 
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units will be evaluated for the characteristics of appearance, odor, flavor, texture and overall 

quality. 

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

and the 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 in A-A-20211B and specified in Section C of the Packaging 

Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions document utilizing the double sampling 

plans indicated in ANSI/ASQ Z1.4. The lot size shall be expressed in 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.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Product not type, style, flavor, frosting option, grain composition,

fortification, shape, or servings as specified.

102 More than 1/4 of the toaster pastry is crushed.

201 Toaster pastry broken into more than three parts. 3/

103 Toaster pastry does not contain at least 33 percent by weight of 

filling. 4/

202 Toaster pastry crust or filling not uniform.

Appearance 5/

203 Appearance or color not characteristic for a baked pastry of the 

applicable type, style, flavor, frosting option or grain composition, as 

specified.

204 Baked toaster pastry not light to golden brown in color

205 Filling not thick with a color characteristic of the flavor specified. 

Style B

206 Icing not smooth or not opaque.

207 Top crust of pastry shows through the icing.

208 Icing has fissures or splits or color variation. 5/

209 Icing does not evenly coat the top crust within approximately 1/2 inch 

of the edges. 6/
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ cont’d 

Category Defect

Major Minor

210 For flavor l2, frosting option (C), icing does not have a swirl-like 

appearance.

Odor and flavor

104 Odor or flavor not characteristic of the applicable type, style, or 

flavor, frosting option or grain composition, as specified.

211 Filling not sweet or not sugary flavor.

212 Pastry crust does not have a baked flavor or not slightly sweet. 

213 For Style B, icing not sweet or not sugary. 

Texture

105 Baked toaster pastry not tender or not firm, but hard or brittle or dry 

or soggy.

106 Filling not moist. 

107 For Style B, icing not smooth with slight resistance, but is glassy or 

hard. 7/

Weight

214 Net weight of product less than 45 grams.

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

glass, metal, or mold, 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.
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3/ A toaster pastry can be considered intact if it is held together by either the pastry or filling. 

A part of a toaster pastry should be considered broken only if it is completely separated from 

the other portion(s) of the toaster pastry.

4/ Weight of filling shall be verified with a Certificate of Conformance. 

5/ Some minor cracks in the icing are acceptable, but should not contribute to the flaking of 

the icing or breaking of the pastry. 

6/ Not applicable to icing with only a drizzle or swirl-like appearance.

7/ Slight finger pressure on icing shall not leave an imprint.

 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 

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

to be considered acceptable. 

(2) Net weight examination.

 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 

in Section C of this document shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 b. Without commercial wrap 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. Results shall be reported to the nearest 1 gram. 

(3) Nutrient content. The calorie content shall be verified by the NLEA “Nutrition 

Facts” label. Product not conforming to the calorie content as specified in Section C of this 

document shall be cause for rejection of the lot.
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(4) Moisture content testing. The sample to be analyzed shall be a composite of eight 

filled and sealed pouches that have been selected at random from one production lot. The 

composite sample shall be prepared and analyzed for moisture content in accordance with the 

latest edition of the Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International, method 

number 925.45D. Test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. Government

Vverification will be conducted through actual testing by a Government laboratory. Any 

result not conforming to the moisture content requirement shall be cause for rejection of the 

lot.

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 listed below conform to the specified requirements.

RequirementCharacteristic

Requirement

Paragraph Test procedure

Thickness of films for 

laminated material

D-1, A, (1), a and D1, A, (2), aAs specified in ASTM D 2103 1/

Aluminum foil thickness D-1, A, (1), a and D1, A, (2), aAs specified in ASTM B 479 2/

Laminated material 

identification and 

construction

D-1, A, (1), a and D1, A, (2), aLaboratory evaluation

Color of laminated

material 

D-1, A, (1), a and D1, A, (2), aVisual evaluation by FED-STD-595 

3/

1/ ASTM D 2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting
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2/ ASTM B 479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Foil 

For Flexible Barrier, Food Contact, and Other Applications

3/ FED-STD-595 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 

necessary by the USDA, testing of the unfilled preformed pouches for seal strength shall be 

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

(3) Filled and sealed 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.
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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/

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

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

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

204 Presence of delamination. 3/

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:
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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.

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.
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 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.

 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, 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.
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 b. Pouch closure seal testing. The closure seals of the pouches shall be tested for 

seal strength in accordance with ASTM F88. 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. 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-fillseal 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 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. 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 uniform rate of 1 pound per square inch gage (psig) per second 

until 14-psig pressure is reached. The 14-psig pressure shall be held constant for 30 seconds 

and then released. The pouches shall then be examined for separation or yield of the heat 

seals. Any rupture of the pouch or evidence of seal separation greater than 1/16 inch in the 

pouch manufacturer’s seal shall be considered a test failure. Any seal separation that reduces 

the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch (see table II, footnote 2/) shall be 

considered a test failure. Any test failure shall be classified as a major defect and shall be 

cause for rejection of the lot.

 C. Packing.

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

containers shall be examined for the defects listed in table III below. 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.
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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.

SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

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

solicitation or contract.

DSCP FORMS

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

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

FEDERAL STANDARD 

FED-STD-595 Colors Used in Government Procurement

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

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

ANSI/ASQ Z1.4-2003 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by Attributes

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

B 479-06 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and 

Aluminum-Alloy Foil For Flexible Barrier, Food Contact, 

and Other Applications
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D 1238-04c Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of 

Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer

D 1505-03 Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by DensityGradient Technique

D 1974-98 (2003) Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and 

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

D 2103-05 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

D4727/D4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard 

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes 

D 5118/D 5118M05ae1Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping 

Boxes 

F 88-07 Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of Flexible Barrier 

Materials

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International
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RDNS-CFF March 1, 2010

TO: DSCP- FTRC 

SUBJECT: ES09-155; Document Changes, Packaging Requirements and Quality Assurance 

Provisions for CID A-A-20211B, Toaster Pastries, Shelf Stable 

1. Changes to subject document were coordinated and provide packaging and quality 

assurance provisions for the new whole grain brown sugar cinnamon toaster pastry, frosted 

that was added to CID A-A-20211B for use in First Strike Ration®.

2. Natick recommends that DSCP implement the changes to subject document as outlined 

below for use in First Strike Ration® (FSR®) 08 and future procurements until the subject 

document is formally amended or revised. 

 a. Paragraph C-1, line 3, after “flavors,”: Insert “frosting options, grain compositions,” 

Line 9, after “Frosted”: Delete “without sprinkles”.

Line 11, after “Flavor 12- Chocolate Chip”: Insert the following:

1/ Verify with supplier availability of toaster pastries with whole wheat flour.”

 b. Paragraph C-1, after “fortification b-”: Delete “Non” and substitute “Not”.

 c. Paragraph C-1, under “Packages.”, line 3, after “Eat” and after “MRE”: Insert “TM”. Add: 

“Package J- First Strike Ration® (FSR®)”

 d. Paragraph C-2, line 7, after “shall”: Delete “arrange for a new or alternate” and replace 

with “submit a replacement”. After “PDM” insert “for”.

“Frosting option (B) - Without sprinkles

 Frosting option (C) - With swirled or drizzled icing

 Grain composition (1)- Enriched wheat flour 

 Grain composition (2)- Whole wheat flour 1/ 
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 e. Paragraph D-1, A (1) a, line 10, after “MRE”: Insert “TM”. Delete “and” before 

“package”. Lines 10 and 11, after second “and”: Insert “package J (FSR®)”.

 f. Paragraph D-2, A, footnote 1/, line 3: Delete “07” and replace with “10”. Delete “7” and 

replace with “0”. 

 g. Paragraph D-3, A: Delete in its entirety and substitute the following:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes.”

 h. Section E, B (1), line 11: Delete “AMSRD NSC CF F” and replace with “RDNS-CFF”.

Delete “5018” and replace with “5056”.

 i. Paragraph E-5, A, table I, defect 101, after “flavor,”: Insert “frosting option, grain 

composition,”

Defect 203, after “flavor,”: Insert “frosting option or grain composition,”.

Defect 210, after “flavor 12,”: Insert “frosting option C,”.

Defect 104: Delete “or” and replace with “,”.

Defect 104, after “flavor,”: Insert “frosting option or grain composition,”

 j. Paragraph E-5, B (4), line 5: Insert “Government” before “Verification” and change the 

“V” to a lowercase “v”.

 k. Paragraph E-6, A (1), lines 1: Insert “The pouch material shall be tested for these 

characteristics.”

Line 5: Delete “Requirement” and replace with “Characteristic”.

 l. Paragraph E-6, A (3), table II, defect 203, after “than”: Insert “or equal to” 

 m. Paragraph E-6, B (1), b & c, line 3: Delete “unfilled”.
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 n. Under Section J: Insert “Unless otherwise specified, the issues of these documents are 

those active on the date of the solicitation or contract.” Delete “4-2003”, “-06”, “-04c”, “-

03”, “-05”, “-05ae1”, “-07” from document numbers.

 o. Section J: After “(ASQ)” insert “www.asq.org”; after “ASTM INTERNATIONAL” 

insert “www.astm.org”; and after “AOAC INTERNATIONAL” insert: “www.aoac.org”

 p. Section J: Add the following reference:

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

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes”

3. Attached is the document, Packaging Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions for 

CID A-A-20211B, Toaster Pastries, Shelf Stable with Change 01, dated 1 March 2010, with 

changes highlighted.

4. The monograph for the whole grain brown sugar cinnamon toaster pastry, frosted [Type I, 

style B, flavor 3, frosting option (B), grain composition (2), Fortification a, shape i, servings 

(a)] will be submitted under separate cover.