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SECTION C

This survival ration is provided in life rafts in aircraft and ships for use by military personnel 

under worldwide environmental extremes.

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR 

CID A-A-20331A FOOD PACKET, SURVIVAL

Types.

Type I - Consists of hard candy fruit tablets and chewing gum 

Type II - Consists of carbohydrate food bars

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

(PKG&QAP) 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. Type I fruit tablets. The hard candy tablets shall consist of various fruit flavors.

 C. Instruction sheet. Instruction sheet for Type I shall be included as a separate sheet placed 

inside the laminated pouch or as instructions stamped on the outer packaging.

 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. The water-insoluble base, protein, sodium, and moisture requirements, 

procedures and testing shall be in accordance with A-A-20331A.

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SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Type I packaging. The survival packet shall contain two packages of hard candy fruit 

tablets, square or rectangular shaped and two packages of chewing gum tablets, one package 

of peppermint and one package of spearmint chewing gum, with each package of chewing 

gum containing two tablets. The Type I survival packet shall also contain an instruction sheet 

in or printed on a flat interlocking closure pouch.

(1) Flat interlocking closure pouch. The Type I survival food packet shall be filled 

into a flat interlocking closure pouch.

 

 a. Pouch material. The 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 bonded to 0.0005 inch thick polyester. The three plies may be laminated with nylon on 

the exterior of the pouch. Tolerances for thickness of plastic films shall be plus or minus 20

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

show no evidence of delamination, degradation, or foreign odor when heat sealed or 

fabricated into pouches. The material shall be suitably formulated for food packaging and 

shall not impart an odor or flavor to the product. The complete exterior of the pouch shall be 

uniformly colored in the range of 20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324 or 30450 of 

FED-STD-595, Colors Used in Government Procurement.

 b. Pouch construction. The pouch shall be a flat design preformed or vertical formfill-seal pouch with an interlocking closure. The pouch shall be a flat style preformed pouch 

having maximum inside dimensions of 3-1/2 inches wide by 7 inches long. The pouch shall 

be made by heat sealing the sides and top of the pouch with 3/8 (+1/8, -1/4) inch wide seals. 

The pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch when tested for 

internal pressure resistance. The interlocking closure of the pouch shall not leak more than 15 

ml when tested. A tear nick or notch shall be provided on one or two opposite edges of the 

pouch above the interlocking closure to facilitate opening of the filled and sealed pouch. A 

1/8 inch wide lip may be incorporated at the open end of the pouch.

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

pouch shall be sealed with a 1/8 to 1 inch wide heat seal. The closure seal shall be applied not 

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more than 1/2 inch from the open end of the pouch. The closure seals 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. Alternatively, the pouch shall exhibit no rupture 

or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure resistance.

 B. Type II packaging. The Type II survival food packet shall have equally shaped

individually wrapped food portions and shall be packed in a preformed pouch as described 

below. The Type II survival food packet shall not exceed 36.6 cubic inches in volume and

20.0 ounces (567 grams) in weight. 

(1) Preformed pouch. 

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

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

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

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

minus 10 percent. The material shall show no evidence of delamination, degradation, or 

foreign odor when heat sealed or fabricated into pouches. The material shall be suitably 

formulated for food packaging and shall not impart an odor or flavor to the product.

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

preformed, square bottom gusset style. 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. Alternatively, 

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

that reduces the effective closure seal to less than 1/16 inch when tested for internal pressure 

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

and sealed pouch. A 1/8 inch wide lip may be incorporated at the open end of the pouch. 

 c. Pouch filling and sealing. As specified in D-1,A, components shall be inserted 

into the pouch. The filled pouch shall be sealed under a vacuum level of 27 inches of 

mercury. 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 

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

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

specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 5 pounds per inch of width. Alternatively, the 

filled and sealed pouch shall exhibit no rupture or seal separation greater than 1/16 inch or 

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

for internal pressure resistance. The sealed packet shall show no loss of vacuum when 

examined.

D-2 LABELING

 A. Type I 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) Food Packet, Survival, Type I

(2) Date 1/

(3) Name and address of packer

1/ Each packet 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 2013 would be coded as 3045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the bag.

 B. Type I instructions. The following instructions shall be legibly printed on a sheet of 

paper and provided in each packet or shall be legibly stamped on the outer packaging:

The food in this survival packet will be beneficial even when water supply is 

limited. When consumed in one day, these foods will maintain survival efficiency. 

Do not get items wet. Keep unused items in bag.

 C. Type II 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) Food Packet, Survival, Type II

(2) Ingredients

(3) Date 1/

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(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 2/

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 2013 would be coded as 3045. The Julian day code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the pouch.

2/ If nutrition facts are printed on commercial packaging of packaged product, the 

requirement for Nutrition Facts labeling on outer pouch is waived.

D-3 PACKING

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

box constructed in accordance with style RSC-L of ASTM D5118/D5118M, Standard 

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

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

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

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

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

D-4 UNITIZATION

 A. Unit Loads. Boxes shall be arranged in unit loads in accordance with DLA Troop 

Support Form 3507.

D-5 MARKING

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

Troop Support Form 3556, Marking Instructions for Boxes, Sacks, and Unit Loads of 

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence.

SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE 

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

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

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

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

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

 A. Definitions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

as follows:

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

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

appearance, odor, flavor and texture. 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

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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 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 specified in A-A-20331A and Section C of this Packaging 

Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions document utilizing the double sampling 

plans indicated in ANSI/ASQ Z1.4. The lot size shall be expressed in packets. The sample 

unit shall be the contents of one packet. The inspection level shall be S-3 and the acceptable 

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

major defects and 4.0 for minor defects. Defects and defect classifications are listed in tables 

I and II.

TABLE I. Product defects for Type I 1/ 2/

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Not type or not package type as specified.

102 Each package of chewing gum tablets does not contain two tablets.

103 Hard candy fruit tablets adhere to the wrapper.

201 Hard candy fruit tablets not hard.

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202 Hard candy fruit tablets not individually wrapped.

203 Individually wrapped hard candy fruit tablets not overwrapped in 

units of ten to form a bar.

Appearance

204 Chewing gum tablet candy coating incomplete or pitted or cracked or 

discolored.

Odor and flavor

104 Chewing gum tablets not fresh.

205 Chewing gum tablets not peppermint flavored and spearmint 

flavored.

105 Hard candy fruit tablets not a slightly sweet, fruity odor or not a 

sweet, fruity flavor.

206 Hard candy fruit tablets not a variety of fruit flavors.

Texture

207 Chewing gum tablets sticky or grainy or flabby or stringy.

TABLE I. Product defects for Type I 1/ 2/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

Net weight

208 Chewing gum tablet weighs less than 1.1 grams or more than 1.6 

grams.

209 Hard candy fruit tablet bar weighs less than 1.0 ounce (28 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.

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

appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

TABLE II. Product defects for Type II 1/ 2/

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Not a Survival Food Packet.

102 Not an equally shaped food bar. 3/

103 Food portions not individually wrapped.

Appearance

201 Food bars do not look dense or do not have flat surfaces.

202 Food bars are not a light to darker golden color.

Odor and flavor

104 Off odor or off flavor.

TABLE II. Product defects for Type II 1/ 2/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

203 Not a sweet, toasted grain or oily or buttery or slight dairy flavor.

Texture

204 Not firm and not dense.

205 Not slightly crunchy or not slightly oily or not easy to bite or chew.

Net weight

206 Net weight of individual packet exceeds 20.0 ounces (567 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, 

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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 overall 

appearance shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

3/ More than 1/4 of portion crushed or more than 3 broken pieces per portion.

 B. Methods of inspection for Type I.

(1) Shelf life. The contractor shall provide a Certificate of Conformance (CoC) that 

the product has a 5 year shelf life when stored at 80°F.

(2) Net weight. The net weight of the packet shall be determined by weighing each 

sample unit on a suitable scale tared with a representative pouch. Results shall be reported to 

the nearest 1 gram or to the nearest 0.1 ounce.

 C. Methods of inspection for Type II.

(1) Shelf life. The contractor shall provide a Certificate of Conformance (CoC) that 

the product has a 5 year shelf life when stored at 80°F.

(2) Net weight. The net weight of the packet shall be determined by weighing each 

sample unit on a suitable scale tared with a representative pouch. Results shall be reported to 

the nearest 1 gram or to the nearest 0.1 ounce.

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

Facts” label. Product not conforming to the minimum kilocalorie content of 2400 kilocalories

(10,000 kJ) of which 45 percent of the kilocalories are from carbohydrates shall be cause for 

rejection of the lot.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 A. Packaging.

(1) Pouch material certification for Type I and Type II. The pouch material may be 

tested for these characteristics. A CoC may be accepted as evidence that the characteristics 

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listed below conform to the specified requirements.

Characteristic Requirement paragraph Test procedure

Thickness of films for laminated 

material

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

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

Laminated material 

identification and construction

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

Color of laminated material D-1,A(1)a Visual evaluation by 

FED-STD-595 3/

1/ ASTM D2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

2/ ASTM B479 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 package certification. A CoC may be accepted as evidence 

that unfilled packages conform to the requirements specified in D-1,A(1)a and b, and D1,B(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 packet examination for Type I and Type II. The filled and sealed 

packets shall be examined for the defects listed in tables III and IV. The lot size shall be 

expressed in packets. The sample unit shall be one packet. The inspection level shall be I and 

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

2.5 for minor defects.

TABLE III. Filled and sealed pouch defects for Type I 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

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102 Unclean pouch. 2/

103 Pouch has foreign odor.

104 Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 3/

105 Presence of delamination. 4/

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

impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/

107 Pouch contains less than two packages of square or regular shaped 

hard candy fruit tablets or less than one package of peppermint 

chewing gum or less than one package of spearmint gum, or

instruction sheet is missing. 6/

TABLE III. Filled and sealed pouch defects for Type I 1/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

108 Presence of foreign matter or wrinkles in the seams.

109 Instructions incorrect or illegible.

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

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

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

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

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

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

clean appearance of the package. The following examples shall not be classified as defects 

for unclean:

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

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

package with a clean dry cloth.

b. Localized dried product which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one 

package face, or an aggregate of scattered dried product which affects less than 1/4 of the 

total surface area of one package face.

3/ 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.

4/ 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 

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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.

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/ If instructions are printed on the outer pouch, a missing instruction sheet shall not be 

scored as a defect.

TABLE IV. Filled and sealed pouch defects for Type II 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

102 Unclean pouch. 2/

103 Pouch has foreign odor. 

104 Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 3/

105 Presence of delamination. 4/

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

impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/

107 Presence of foreign matter or wrinkles in the seams.

108 Pouch exceeds 36.6 cubic inches in volume.

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

202 Presence of delamination. 4/

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

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

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

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

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

clean appearance of the package. The following examples shall not be classified as defects 

for unclean:

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

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

package with a clean dry cloth.

b. Localized dried product which affects less than 1/8 of the total surface area of one 

package face, or an aggregate of scattered dried product which affects less than 1/4 of the 

total surface area of one package face.

3/ 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.

4/ 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 

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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.

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.

 B. Methods of inspection.

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

c, as applicable.

 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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/F88M. The lot size shall be expressed in 

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

pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. For the closure seal on preformed pouches, three 

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

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

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

calculated by averaging the three specimens cut from that side, end or closure. Any average 

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

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

for rejection of the lot.

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

pressurizing the pouches while they are restrained between two rigid plates. The 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 sides and end of the pouch. For design B pouch, when testing the closure seal, the 

top and interlocking closure 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.

 d. Interlocking closure test for Type I. The interlocking closure of the pouch shall 

be tested. 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-2. Open a filled 

and sealed interlocking pouch and add 118 ml of water (4 oz.) at 70°F (+ 5°F). Close pouch. 

Invert pouch and suspend pouch for 15 seconds. Collect and measure any liquid that drips. 

Pouches that leak more than 15 ml shall be a major defect and shall be cause for rejection of 

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the lot. 

(2) Leakage test for Type II I. The filled and sealed envelopes shall be tested by 

placing them in a dry desiccator, or similar apparatus, and subjecting them to a vacuum of 26 

inches of mercury (atmospheric pressure is 29.9 inches of mercury) for 30 seconds. Any 

envelope that does not swell to form a tightly distended package having at least one distorted 

edge during the test shall be recorded as a leaker. After vacuum testing, the envelopes shall 

be visually inspected for evidence of delamination and for seal separation. Any leakage, any 

delamination, or any seal separation of more than 1/16 inch from the product edge of any seal 

shall be recorded as a defect.

(3) Vacuum examination for Type II. Eight filled and sealed survival food packets 

shall be randomly selected from each lot and individually examined for retention of vacuum 

after they have been allowed to equilibrate at room temperature for not less than 96 hours 

from the time of sealing. The sealed packet shall continue to exhibit tight adherence to the 

surface contours of the contents when a pulling force is applied at the center of each side 

seal. This force shall be applied by holding each side seam between the thumb and forefinger 

of each hand, while simultaneously exerting a slight pull with both hands. Any evidence of 

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

 C. Packing.

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

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

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

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

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

TABLE V. Shipping container and marking defects

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Marking missing or incorrect or illegible.

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 More than 40 pounds of product.

Comment [MMDCTS1]: Natick ES15-004 

(DSCP-SS-15-00023) ch 01 23-OCT-14

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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.

 D. Unit load examination. The unit load shall be examined in accordance with the 

requirements of DLA Form 3507. Any nonconformance shall be classified as a major defect 

and shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

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

solicitation or contract.

DLA Troop Support Forms

Form 3507 Loads, Unit: Preparation for Semiperishable Subsistence Items

Form 3556 Marking Instructions for Shipping Cases, 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 CONTROL (ASQC) www.asq.org

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

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

B479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and 

Aluminum-Alloy Foil For Flexible Barrier, Food Contact, and 

Other Applications

D1238 Standard Test Method for Melt Flow Rates of Thermoplastics 

by Extrusion Plastometer

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D1505 Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by DensityGradient Technique

D1974 Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and 

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

D2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

D4727/D4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard 

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes

D5118/D5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping 

Boxes 

F88/F88M Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of Flexible Barrier 

Materials

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For DLA Troop Support Website Posting

RDNS-SEC-F 23 October 2014

TO: DLA Troop Support - Subsistence

SUBJECT: ES15-004 (DSCP-SS-15-00023); Technical inquiry, test methods; Packaging 

Requirements and Quality Assurance Provisions (PKG&QAP) for Commercial Item 

Description (CID) A-A-20331A Food Packet, Survival, Type II, Carbohydrate Food Bars in 

a Preformed Pouch 

Date received: 14 October 2014

Date due: 12 January 2015

Date replied: 23 October 2014

1. DLA has initiated an Engineering Support case to change the test method for Type II, 

Carbohydrate Food Bars in a Preformed Pouch in PKG&QAP A-A-20331A, Food Packet, 

Survival.

2. DLA recommends that paragraph E-6, B(2), Leakage test for Type II be removed as a 

conformance examination since paragraph E-6, B(3), Vacuum examination for Type II is 

sufficient for inspectors to determine if the package is vacuum packaged, retaining a vacuum 

and not leaking. 

3. Natick recommends that paragraph E-6, B(2), be changed to Leakage test for Type I to 

coincide with Section D-1,A(1)c, Pouch filling and sealing (for Type I). 

4. Natick submits the following change to the subject document for all future procurements 

until the document is formally amended or revised. 

a. Page 18, Paragraph E-6, B(2), Leakage test for Type II. After “Type”, delete “II”, 

insert “I”.

5. Attached is Change 01, PKG&QAP for CID A-A-20331A, Food Packet, Survival dated 

23 October 2014, with the change highlighted.

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