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SECTION C

This document covers shelf stable energy gel packaged in a flexible pouch for use by the 

Department of Defense as a component of operational rations. The gel is designed to deliver 

high caloric content and low volume/weight.

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PCR-E-018, ENERGY GEL, PACKAGED IN A FLEXIBLE POUCH, SHELF 

STABLE

Flavors.

Flavor I - Mixed Berry

Flavor II - Lemon Lime

Flavor III - Orange

Packages.

Package A - Meal, Cold Weather (MCW)

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

Package C - Meal, Ready-to-Eat TM (MRETM)

Package J - First Strike Ration® (FSR®)

Package L- Food Packet, Modular Operational 

Ration Enhancement (MORE)

C-2 PRODUCT 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 Product Contract Requirements (PCR) document. The 

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

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

from the approved product standard, which result in a product non comparable to the product 

standard, the contractor shall submit a replacement FA or PDM for approval. In any event, all 

product produced must meet all requirements of this document including product standard 

comparability. 

 B. Commercial sterility. The packaged food shall be processed until commercially sterile. 
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 C. Shelf life. The packaged product shall meet the minimum shelf life requirement of 36 

months at 80oF. 

 D. Appearance. 

(1) General. The finished product shall have a cohesive and soft, jelly-like 

appearance. The finished product shall have a gel matrix with a very slight tendency to flow

and no separation or syneresis shall be apparent. The finished product shall be free from 

foreign materials.

 a. Flavor I. The mixed berry gel shall have a translucent medium to bright red

color. 

 b. Flavor II. The lemon lime gel shall have a translucent bright greenish – yellow 

color. 

 c. Flavor III. The orange gel shall have a translucent medium to bright orange 

color. 

 E. Odor and flavor. The packaged food shall be free from foreign odors and flavors. 

(1) Flavor I. The mixed berry gel shall have a distinct berry odor and flavor 

characteristic of raspberry and strawberries with moderate sweet and tart flavor attributes. 

(2) Flavor II. The lemon lime gel shall have a distinct lemon and lime odor and flavor 

with moderate sweet and tart flavor attributes.

(3) Flavor III. The orange gel shall have a distinct orange odor and flavor with 

moderate sweet and tart flavor attributes. 

 F. Texture. The gel shall have a tender and soft, jelly-like texture with a smooth mouth feel. 

 G. Net weight. The net weight shall be not less than 2.1 ounces (60 grams). 

 H. Palatability and overall appearance. The finished product shall be equal to or better than 

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance. 

 I. Analytical requirements. 

(1) pH. The pH shall be not greater than 4.00. 
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(2) Brix. The brix measurement shall be not less than 50° brix. 

 J. Product formulation and ingredients. The following formulas shall be used. Ingredient 

suppliers and available specific ingredients may change (companies bought out, part numbers 

change, ingredients no longer supplied, and etc.). Any changes in ingredients or formula will 

need to be approved by U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering 

Center (NSRDEC). 

(1) Flavor I, Mixed Berry. 

Ingredients Percent by weight

Water, distilled, deionized 43.639

Maltodextrin 1/ 42.0

Sucrose (fine grind table sugar) 8.0

High oleic canola oil 2/ 5.0

Citric acid 0.3

Konjac flour 3/ 0.28

Modified food starch 4/ 0.2

Potassium citrate 0.15

Gellan gum 5/ 0.14

Xanthan gum 0.14

Mixed berry flavor burst 6/ 0.13

Antioxidant 7/ 0.016

Wild cherry red 8/ 0.005

1/ Maltodextrin shall have a dextrose equivalent of 16.5 to 19.9 and moisture content not 

greater than 6.0. The bulk density shall be 33.0 to 43.0 pounds/cubic feet. “Maltrin 180” 

from Grain Processing Corporation, 1600 Oregon St. Muscatine, IA 52761-1494 meets this 

requirement. 

2/ High oleic canola oil shall have a free fatty acid content as oleic not greater than 0.05 

percent and an Oxygen Stability Index of not less than or equal to 11 hours at 110°C. The 

“Clear Valley 65 High Oleic Canola Oil” from Cargill Corporation, PO Box 9300 

Minneapolis, MN 55440-9300 meets this requirement. 

3/ Konjac flour shall be derived from the tubers of Amorphophallus and contain 95% soluble 

fiber. “Konjac Flour Propol RS” from SunOpta Inc. 5850 Opus Parkway Suite 150 

Minnetonka, MN 55343 meets this requirement.

4/ Modified food starch shall be derived from waxy maize. The modified food starch shall 

have a moisture content of 10 to 12 percent and a pH of 5 to 7 percent. The modified food 
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starch shall be resistant to high temperature, low pH, and shear. “Thermtex” from National 

Starch and Chemical Co. 10 Finderne Ave. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 meets this requirement.

5/ Gellan Gum shall be a fine mesh multifunctional gelling agent. Not less than 97 percent 

shall fall through a 100 mesh (150μm). Food Chemicals Codex, 21 CFR § 172.665. 

“KELCOGEL F” from CP Kelco, 1000 Parkwood Circle Suite 1000 Atlanta, GA 30339 

meets this requirement.

6/ “Mixed Berry Flavor Burst number 528175” from Givaudan Flavors Corporation, 1199 

Edison Dr. Cincinnati, OH 45216. 

7/ Antioxidant shall contain 31-33% emulsifier, 29-31% corn oil, 19-21 percent TBHQ and 

2.7-3.3 percent citric acid, “Tenox 20A Food Grade Antioxidant” from Eastman Chemicals, 

Box 431 Kingsport, TN 37660 meets this requirement. 

8/ “Wild Cherry Red Shade number 7598” from Sensient Technologies, 777 East Wisconsin 

Ave. Milwaukee, WI 53202-5304. 

(2) Flavor II, Lemon Lime. 

Ingredients Percent by weight

Water, distilled, deionized 43.484

Maltodextrin 1/ 42.0

Sucrose (fine grind table sugar) 8.0

High oleic canola oil 2/ 5.0

Citric acid 0.3

Konjac flour 3/ 0.28

Modified food starch 4/ 0.2

Lemon lime flavor, oil based 5/ 0.2

Potassium citrate 0.15

Gellan gum 6/ 0.14

Xanthan gum 0.14

Antioxidant 7/ 0.016

Lemon yellow natural color 8/ 0.09

1/ Maltodextrin shall have a dextrose equivalent of 16.5 to 19.9 and moisture content not 

greater than 6.0. The bulk density shall be 33.0 to 43.0 pounds/cubic feet. “Maltrin 180” 

from Grain Processing Corporation, 1600 Oregon St. Muscatine, IA 52761-1494 meets this 

requirement. 

2/ High oleic canola oil shall have a free fatty acid content as oleic not greater than 0.05 

percent and an Oxygen Stability Index of not less than or equal to 11 hours at 110°C.The 
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“Clear Valley 65 High Oleic Canola Oil” from Cargill Corporation, PO Box 9300 

Minneapolis, MN 55440-9300 meets this requirement. 

3/ Konjac flour shall be derived from the tubers of Amorphophallus and contain 95% soluble 

fiber. “Konjac Flour Propol RS” from SunOpta Inc. 5850 Opus Parkway Suite 150 

Minnetonka, MN 55343 meets this requirement.

4/ Modified food starch shall be derived from waxy maize. The modified food starch shall 

have a moisture content of 10 to 12 percent and a pH of 5 to 7 percent. The modified food 

starch shall be resistant to high temperature, low pH, and shear. “Thermtex” from National 

Starch and Chemical Co. 10 Finderne Ave. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 meets this requirement.

5/ “Natural Lemon Lime Conc Extract oil based GM-1414” from Fleurochem Inc., 33 

Sprague Ave, Middletown, NY 10940-5128. 

6/ Gellan Gum shall be a fine mesh multifunctional gelling agent. Not less than 97 percent 

shall fall through a 100 mesh (150μm). Food Chemicals Codex, 21 CFR § 172.665. 

“KELCOGEL F” from CP Kelco, 1000 Parkwood Circle Suite 1000, Atlanta, GA 30339 

meets this requirement. 

7/ Antioxidant shall contain 31-33% emulsifier, 29-31% corn oil, 19-21percent TBHQ and 

2.7-3.3 percent citric acid, “Tenox 20A Food Grade Antioxidant” from Eastman Chemicals, 

Box 431 Kingsport, TN 37660 meets this requirement. 

8/ “Lemon Yellow Natural Color number 0321” from Colormaker Inc. 3309 E. Miraloma 

Ave. Suite 105 Anaheim, CA 92806. 

(3) Flavor III, Orange. 

Ingredients Percent by weight

Water, distilled, deionized 43.634

Maltodextrin 1/ 42.00

Sucrose (fine grind table sugar) 8.0

High oleic canola oil 2/ 5.0

Citric acid 0.3

Konjac flour 3/ 0.28

Modified food starch 4/ 0.2

Potassium citrate 0.15

Gellan gum 5/ 0.14

Xanthan gum 0.14

Orange flavor 6/ 0.13

Antioxidant 7/ 0.016

FD&C Yellow number 6 Lake Concentrate 0.01
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1/ Maltodextrin shall have a dextrose equivalent of 16.5 to 19.9 and moisture content not 

greater than 6.0. The bulk density shall be 33.0 to 43.0 pounds/cubic feet. “Maltrin 180” 

from Grain Processing Corporation, 1600 Oregon St. Muscatine, IA 52761-1494 meets this 

requirement. 

2/ High oleic canola oil shall have a free fatty acid content as oleic not greater than 0.05 

percent and an Oxygen Stability Index of not less than or equal to 11 hours at 110°C.The 

“Clear Valley 65 High Oleic Canola Oil” from Cargill Corporation, PO Box 9300 

Minneapolis, MN 55440-9300 meets this requirement. 

3/ Konjac flour shall be derived from the tubers of Amorphophallus and contain 95% soluble 

fiber. “Konjac Flour Propol RS” from SunOpta Inc. 5850 Opus Parkway Suite 150 

Minnetonka, MN 55343 meets this requirement.

4/ Modified food starch shall be derived from waxy maize. The modified food starch shall 

have a moisture content of 10 to 12 percent and a pH of 5 to 7 percent. The modified food 

starch shall be resistant to high temperature, low pH, and shear. “Thermtex” from National 

Starch and Chemical Co. 10 Finderne Ave. Bridgewater, NJ 08807 meets this requirement.

5/ Gellan Gum shall be a fine mesh multifunctional gelling agent. Not less than 97 percent 

shall fall through a 100 mesh (150μm). Food Chemicals Codex, 21 CFR § 172.665. 

“KELCOGEL F” from CP Kelco, 1000 Parkwood Circle Suite 1000 Atlanta, GA 30339 

meets this requirement.

6/ “Juicy Orange flavor GM-4600” from Fleurochem Inc., 33 Sprague Ave. Middletown, NY 

10940-5128. 

7/ Antioxidant shall contain 31-33% emulsifier, 29-31% corn oil, 19-21percent TBHQ and 

2.7-3.3 percent citric acid, “Tenox 20A Food Grade Antioxidant” from Eastman Chemicals, 

Box 431 Kingsport, TN 37660 meets this requirement. 

 K. Preparation and processing (General for all flavors). The following preparation and 

processes were used at U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development, and Engineering 

Center for processing the energy gels. Industrial preparation, processing and equipment may 

be used to produce product of same quality as produced at U.S. Army Natick Soldier 

Research, Development, and Engineering Center. 

(1) Equipment. High shear mixer (Robo Coupe 6X Blixer), fitted with serrated “S” 

blades or equivalent that achieves appropriate dispersion of gums and ensures proper gel 

matrix development. 
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(2) Preparation. Group ingredients as follows and mix each individual group so the 

ingredients are well blended and uniformly distributed. 

 

 a. Gums mixture includes Konjac flour, xanthan gum, Gellan gum, and potassium 

citrate. 

 b. Sugar mixture includes maltodextrin, sucrose and starch. 

 c. Oil mixture includes high oleic canola oil and antioxidants 

 d. Acid, color and dry flavor mixture includes citric acid, artificial colors, and dry 

flavors as applicable.

 e. Liquid mixture includes room temperature distilled, de-ionized water and liquid 

flavors as applicable. 

(3) Mixing. 

 a. Add liquid mixture to mixer and begin agitation. 

 b. Slowly add gum mixture to mixer while agitating. This must be done carefully to 

prevent clumping of the gums. Pulse agitation or other techniques of adding the gums to the 

water may be used.

 c. Mix until gums and water form a semi-solid, uniform gel matrix. No clumps of

aggregated starch and/or gums shall be present.

 d. Reduce the mixer speed and slowly add half of the sugar mixture. 

 e. While mixer is operating add in the oil mixture in and mix until product is 

completely uniform. 

 f. Add remainder of the sugar mixture and blend until uniformly dispersed. 

 g. Add the acid, color, flavor mixture and mix until the gel is completely uniform. 

There shall be no apparent clumps of gums, starch or maltodextrin present. The gel texture 

will be a soft gel and able to flow. 

(4) Thermal processing. The gel shall be thermally processed in accordance with Title 

21 of the Code of Federal Regulations, Parts 114 & 108 (21CFR114 & 21CFR108.25), for 

Acidified Foods. 
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 a. Records of processing temperatures. Recording charts of all heating and cooling 

times and temperatures, regardless of type of system used, shall be maintained. The charts 

shall be taken from recorders, which have been accurately calibrated in the applicable 

temperature range and time recording function. The recording clock time and actual time 

shall be synchronized during all processing operations. The charts shall also include the date, 

plant identification, operator, contract number, lot number, and product being run (for 

example, startup water, product, and post rinses). The charts shall be maintained for three 

years and shall be made available for review by the government inspector.

 b. Continuity of preparation, processing, and packaging. The gel shall be prepared, 

processed, and filled into a pouch in a continuous manner with minimum delay between the 

various stages.

(5) Pouch filling and sealing. The gel shall be aseptically filled (hot-filled) at 170o to 

180oF into a pouch, fabricated and constructed as specified in D-1,A(1), and sealed 

immediately after filling. The gel shall be hot-filled into a pouch, fabricated and constructed 

as specified in D-1,A(1), and sealed immediately after filling.

(6) Filled pouch cooling temperature requirements. The filled and sealed pouch of gel 

shall be water cooled, air cooled or a combination of both, sufficiently to ensure that the 

product temperature in the center of the pouch shall be below 100oF prior to packing for 

shipment to ration assembler. If water cooling is utilized, the pouches shall be thoroughly dry 

before packing. 

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. The 2.1 ounces (60 grams) of product shall be filled into a pouch as 

described below. 

(1) Pouches. 

 a. Pouch material. The pouches shall be fabricated from 0.002 inch thick polyolefin 

film laminated or extrusion coated to 0.00035 inch thick aluminum foil which is then 

laminated to 0.0005 inch thick polyester. The three plies shall be laminated with the polyester 

on the exterior of the pouch. Tolerances for the thickness of plastic films shall be plus or 

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

polyolefin layer of bag material shall be suitably formulated for hot fill or post-fill 

processing. The material shall show no evidence of delamination, degradation, or foreign 
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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 exterior surface of the pouch shall be colored white 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), package J (FSR®), and package L (MORE) the 

exterior surface of the pouch shall be uniformly colored in the range of 20219, 30219, 30227, 

30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of FED-STD-595. 

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

inside dimensions of 2-7/8 inches wide by 6 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. 

Alternatively, the pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch or 

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

for internal pressure resistance. A tear nick, notch or serrations shall be provided to facilitate 

opening of the filled and sealed pouch. Excess pouch material at the edges of the pouch shall 

not exceed 3/16 inch. A 1/8 inch wide lip may be incorporated at the open end of the pouch. 

 c. Pouch filling and sealing. The 2.1 ounces (60 grams) of product shall be filled 

into the pouch and the pouch sealed. The closure seal shall be free of foldover wrinkles or 

entrapped matter that reduces the effective closure seal width to less than 1/16 inch. Seals 

shall be free of impression or design on the seal surface that would conceal or impair visual 

detection of seal defects. The average seal strength shall be not less than 6 pounds per inch of

width and no individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of 

width. Alternatively, the pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 

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

when tested for internal pressure resistance. The pouch shall show no aberration in the pouch 

material or heat seals. Filled and sealed pouches showing aberrations shall withstand a 

minimum internal pressure of 17 pounds per square inch gauge (psig) for 30 seconds to 

verify package integrity. Not less than 24 hours after hot-filling, the pouches shall withstand 

an internal pressure of 17 psig for 30 seconds without 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. 

D-2 LABELING

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

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

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

(2) Ingredients

(3) Date 1/ 

(4) Net weight

(5) Name and address of packer

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

Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA regulations.

(7) KNEAD PACKAGE BEFORE OPENING

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

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

February 2011 would be coded as 1045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the pouch. 

D-3 PACKING 

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

box constructed in accordance with style RSC-L, of ASTM 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 to the appropriate inspection activity. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

as follows:

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

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

appearance and palatability. Any failure to conform to the product 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 

RDNS-CFF

15 Kansas Street

 Natick, MA 01760-5056 

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 

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

quality. 

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

examination and the methods of inspection cited in this section. 

E-5 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PRODUCT)
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 A. Product examination. The finished product shall be examined for compliance with the 

product requirements specified in Section C of this Product Contract Requirements 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. The pouches shall be kneaded prior to conducting any 

portion of the product examination. 

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Product not flavor as specified.

Appearance

201 Gel not cohesive or not soft or not jelly-like.

202 Gel does not have a slight tendency to flow.

203 Gels show syneresis or separation 3/.

204 Flavor I mixed berry gel not a translucent medium to bright red color.

205 Flavor II lemon lime gel not a translucent bright greenish to yellow

color. 

206 Flavor III orange gel not a translucent medium to bright orange color.

Odor and flavor

102 Flavor I mixed berry gel not a distinct berry odor or flavor 

characteristic of raspberry and strawberries with moderate sweet or tart 

flavors. 

103 Flavor II lemon lime not a distinct lemon or lime odor or flavor with 

moderate sweet or tart flavors.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

104 Flavor III orange gel not a distinct orange odor or flavor with moderate 

sweet or tart flavors.

Texture

207 Gel not soft or not tender or not jelly-like.

208 Gel does not have a smooth mouth feel.

Net weight

209 Net weight less than 2.1 ounces (60 grams).

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

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

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

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

and overall appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

3/ Visually examine product after it has been placed on a smooth flat surface and not 

disturbed for at least one minute.

 B. Methods of inspection. 

(1) Commercial sterility. Commercial sterility shall be verified in accordance with 

FDA regulations. 

(2) 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.
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(3) Net weight. 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 0.1 ounce or to the nearest 1 gram. 

(4) Analytical. The sample to be analyzed shall be a composite of eight filled and 

sealed pouches which have been selected at random from the lot. The composite sample shall 

be prepared and analyzed in accordance with the following methods of the Official Methods 

of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International:

Test Method Number

pH 981.12

Brix 932.14

Test results for pH shall be reported to the nearest 0.01. Test results for Brix shall be reported 

to the nearest whole number. Government verification will be conducted through actual 

testing by a Government laboratory. Any nonconforming results 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 conform to the specified requirements.

Characteristic Requirement paragraph Test procedure

Thickness of films for laminated 

material

D-1,A(1)a ASTM D 2103 1/

Aluminum foil thickness D-1,A(1)a ASTM B 479 2/

Laminated material 

identification and construction 

D-1,A(1)a Laboratory evaluation

Color of laminated material D-1,A(1)a FED-STD-595 3/

1/ ASTM D 2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting 

2/ ASTM B 479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Foil 

for Flexible Barrier, Food Contact, and Other Applications 
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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 acceptable quality 

level (AQL), expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major defects 

and 2.5 for minor defects. 

TABLE II. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

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

103 Presence of delamination. 3/

104 Unclean pouch. 4/

105 Pouch has foreign odor.

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

or impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/ 

107 Not packaged as specified.

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

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

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

opening. 

TABLE II. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/ - Continued

Category Defect
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Major Minor

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:

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

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

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

unclean:

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

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

with a clean dry cloth. 

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

(localized and aggregate). 

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

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

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

6/ Applicable to form-fill-seal pouches only. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

material degradation.

 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 F 88, Standard Test Method for 

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

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

inspection level S-1. Three adjacent specimens shall be cut from each of the three sealed 

sides of each pouch in the sample. The average seal strength of any side shall be calculated 

by averaging the three specimens cut from that side. Any average seal strength of less than 6 
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pounds per inch of width or any test specimen with a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per 

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

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

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

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

inspection level S-1. For the closure seal on preformed pouches, three adjacent specimens 

shall be cut from the closure seal of each pouch in the sample. For form-fill-seal pouches, 

three adjacent specimens shall be cut from each side and each end of each pouch in the 

sample. The average seal strength of any side, end or closure shall be calculated by averaging 

the three specimens cut from that side, end or closure. Any average seal strength of less than 

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

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

 c. Internal pressure test. The internal pressure resistance shall be determined by 

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

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

number of pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. If a three seal 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 and shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause for 

rejection of the lot.

 C. Packing. 

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

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

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

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

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

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

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

CFR Parts 1-199) 

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

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

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

Attributes

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

B 479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and 
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Aluminum-Alloy Foil For Flexible Barrier, Food 

Contact, and Other Applications 

D 1238 Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of 

Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer

D 1505 Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by the 

Density-Gradient Technique 

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

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

D 2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and 

Sheeting 

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

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes

D 5118/D 5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes 

F 88 Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of Flexible 

Barrier Materials

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of the AOAC International