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SECTION C

This document covers cooked dehydrated chili con carne with beans packaged in a No. 10 

metal can for use by the Department of Defense as a component of operational rations. 

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PCR-C-059, CHILI CON CARNE WITH BEANS, COOKED, DEHYDRATED, 

PACKAGED IN A No. 10 METAL CAN, SHELF STABLE

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 Performance-based 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 arrange for a new or alternate FA or 

PDM approval. In any event, all product produced must meet all requirements of this 

document including Product Standard comparability. 

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

months at 80oF. 

 C. Ground beef. The ground beef shall be of a grind size typically produced by a 3/8 inch 

plate machine setting. The ground beef shall be practically free of bone or bone fragments, 

cartilage, coarse connective tissue, tendons or ligaments, and glandular material.

 D. Kidney beans. The beans shall be light red kidney beans with cooked bean color. The 

beans shall be practically free of broken, mashed or loose skins.

 E. Dehydrated product. 

 (1) General. The finished product shall be cooked dehydrated chili con carne with 

beans. The product shall show no evidence of incomplete dehydration such as wet or soft 

spots. There shall be no glazed surface areas or burned areas (as indicated by a black spot) 

measuring more than 0.5 inch in any dimension. There shall be no dark colored cores of any 

dimension. The dehydrated product shall have a reddish brown color with distinct kidney 

bean ingredient and distinct ground meat ingredient. The packaged food shall be free from 

foreign materials.
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(2) Odor. The packaged food shall have a cooked bean, meat and tomato with chili 

spice odor. The packaged food shall be free from foreign odors. 

(3) Particle size. Not less than 30 percent of the dehydrated product (by weight) shall 

be retained on a U.S. Standard No. 4 sieve. 

(4) Net weight. The average net weight shall be not less than 40.0 ounces. No 

individual can shall have a net weight of less than 39.2 ounces. 

 (5) Microbiological. The aerobic plate count shall be not greater than 75,000 Colony 

Forming Units (CFU) per gram in four of five samples, and not greater than 150,000 CFU 

per gram in any sample. The E. coli count shall be less than 3 per gram (no positives in the 

standard 3 tube MPN technique) in four of five samples and not greater than 10 per gram in 

any sample.

 F. Rehydrated product. 

(1) General. The finished product shall be a mixture of coarsely ground beef, light red 

kidney beans in a tomato based sauce with onions, seasoned with spices. The rehydrated 

product shall show complete water penetration through all particles. The packaged food shall 

be free from foreign materials. 

 G. Odor and flavor. The rehydrated product shall have an odor and flavor of ground beef 

and kidney beans in a tomato based sauce with onions and shall elicit a sensation of medium 

to high heat. The packaged food shall be free from foreign odors and flavors. 

 H. Texture. 

(1) Ground beef. The cooked ground beef shall be moist and tender. 

(2) Kidney beans. The kidney beans shall be slightly soft to slightly firm. 

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

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance. 

 J. Analytical requirements. 

(1) Fat content. The fat content shall be not less than 15.0 percent and not greater than 

30.0 percent. 
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(2) Sodium content per 100 grams. The sodium content shall be not less than 1330 mg 

and not greater than 2510 mg. 

(3) Protein content. The protein content shall be not less than 25.0 percent. 

 K. Moisture content. The moisture content of the dehydrated product shall not exceed 2.0 

percent.

 L. Oxygen content. Oxygen content of the headspace gas shall not exceed 2.0 percent. 

Product shall be tested no more than 24 hours after packaging. 

C-3 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

THE FOLLOWING IS PROVIDED FOR INFORMATION ONLY TO PROVIDE THE 

BENEFIT OF PAST GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY 

REQUIREMENT.

 A. Spice and seasoning mix preparation. The spice and seasoning mix may be a uniform 

blend of the following ingredients:

Ingredient Percent by weight

Chili powder 39.20

Soup stock, dehydrated 20.00

Onions, chopped, dehydrated 16.70

Salt 1/ 16.70

Garlic powder 3.30

Paprika, ground 2.80

Pepper, red, ground 1.30

 B. Product preparation. The chili con carne with beans may be formulated as follows:

Ingredient Percent by weight

Beef, ground (raw) 40.00

Beans, kidney, red (dry weight, 10 – 18 percent moisture) 24.00

Water 17.00

Tomatoes, crushed or pureed 10.00

Spice and seasoning mix 6.00

Tomato paste (24 – 28 percent solids) 3.00

1/ The total amount of salt in the formula may be adjusted as necessary to produce a product 

that complies with the finished product sodium requirement.
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SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING 

A. Packaging. The dehydrated product shall be packaged in a No. 10 metal can under 

an atmosphere of nitrogen so that the oxygen content of the gases in the filled and sealed 

container shall not exceed 2.0 percent when tested within 24 hours of packing. 

D-2 LABELING

 A. Labeling of metal cans. Labeling of metal cans shall be as specified in DSCP FORM 

2997, Labeling of Metal Cans for Subsistence. In addition, the following information, and 

directions for use, as applicable, shall appear on one end of the can: 

CHLI CON CARNE WITH BEANS, COOKED, DEHYDRATED

DIRECTIONS FOR USE:

BRING 3 QUARTS OF WATER TO A BOIL; REMOVE FROM SOURCE OF 

HEAT. IMMEDIATELY ADD CONTENTS OF CAN; STIR THOROUGHLY TO 

DISTRIBUTE WATER. COVER; LET STAND 10 MINUTES OR UNTIL 

THOROUGHLY REHYDRATED. 

STIR AND SERVE 

YIELD: 15 PORTIONS (1 CUP)

FOR 100 PORTIONS: USE 6 1/2 CANS AND 4-7/8 GALLONS OF WATER

Ingredients 

Date

Net weight

Official establishment number (for example, EST-38/USDA stamp)

Contractor's name and address

D-3 PACKING

 A. Commercial packing. Six cans of product shall be packed in a shipping container 

complying with ASTM D3951-98 (2004), Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging. 

 B. Export packing. Six cans of product shall be packed in a fiberboard shipping container 

conforming to style RSC, grade W5c or W5s of ASTM D5118/D5118M-95 (2001), Standard 

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

closed and reinforced with nonmetallic strapping or pressure-sensitive adhesive 

filament-reinforced tape in accordance with ASTM D1974-98 (2003), Standard Practice for 

Methods of Closing, Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes. 
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D-4 UNITIZATION

 A. Unit loads. Unit loads shall be as specified in DSCP FORM 3507, Loads, Unit: 

Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence Items. 

D-5 MARKING

 A. Shipping containers and unit loads. Marking of shipping containers and unit loads shall 

be as specified in 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/ASQC Z1.4-1993, Sampling 

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

Single Sampling Plans indicated in ANSI/ASQC Z1.4-1993 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 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 
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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 Center

AMSRD-NSC-CF-F 

15 Kansas Street

 Natick, MA 01760-5018 

One lot shall be randomly selected during each calendar month of production. 

Two (2) sample units of each item produced shall be randomly selected from that one 

production lot. The two (2) 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 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 Section C of this Performance-based Contract 

Requirements document utilizing the double sampling plans indicated in ANSI/ASQC Z1.4 - 

1993. The lot size shall be expressed in cans. The sample unit shall be the contents of one 

can. 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 6.5 for minor defects. 

Defects and defect classifications are listed in table I below.

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/

Category Defect

Major Minor

Dehydrated product

101 Product not cooked dehydrated chili con carne with beans.

102 Evidence of incomplete dehydration such as wet or soft spots.

103 Presence of glazed surface areas measuring more than 0.5 inch in 

any dimension.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

Dehydrated product cont’d

104 Presence of burned areas as indicated by a black spot greater than 

0.5 inch in any dimension. 

105 Presence of dark colored cores in any dimension.

201 Dehydrated product does not have a reddish brown color with 

distinct kidney bean ingredient and distinct ground meat ingredient.

106 The dehydrated product does not have cooked bean, meat and 

tomato with chili spice odor.

202 Less than 30 percent (by weight) retained on a U.S. Standard No. 4 

sieve. 4/ 

203 Net weight of individual can less than 39.2 ounces. 5/

Rehydrated product 6/

107 Not a mixture of coarsely ground beef, light red kidney beans in a 

tomato based sauce with onions, seasoned with spices.

108 Incomplete water penetration through all particles. 7/

204 Total weight of cartilage, coarse connective tissue, section of 

tendons or ligaments, and glandular material, collectively, from a 

120 gram aliquot of dehydrated product, is more than 9 grams after 

the product has been rehydrated. 

109 Presence of a bone piece measuring 0.3 inch or more in any 

dimension per 120 gram aliquot of dehydrated product after 

rehydration. 

205 Beans not practically free of broken, mashed or loose skins.
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TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

Rehydrated product 6/ cont’d

Odor and flavor

110 Odor or flavor not of ground beef and kidney beans in a tomato 

based sauce with onions. 

206 Rehydrated product does not elicit a sensation of medium to high 

heat.

Texture 

207 Cooked ground beef not moist or not tender. 

208 Kidney beans not slightly soft to slightly firm.

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, or stale shall be cause for rejection of the lot. Foreign flavor not 

applicable to dehydrated product. 

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. Palatability not applicable to 

dehydrated product.

3/ Grinder plate size requirement for ground beef shall be verified by certificate of 

conformance. 

4/ Four 10 ounce increments from one primary container shall be mechanically shaken for 2 

minutes on an 8 inch sieve, or optionally, the entire contents of one whole can (40 ounces) 

shall be mechanically shaken for 2 minutes on a 12 inch diameter sieve. 

5/ Sample average net weight less than 40.0 ounces shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

6/ Rehydrate product according to directions on can. 
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7/ Water penetration of the beans may be impeded by the skin. The beans shall be soft and 

easily crushed between the thumb and forefinger. Beans that are unrehydrated and hard 

indicate improper processing and shall be cause for rejection. Dry areas attributable to gristle 

and similar material shall not be considered as defects.

 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 800F. Government verification may include 

storage for 6 months at 1000F or 36 months at 800F. 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. The net weight of the filled and sealed can shall be determined by 

weighing each sample unit on a suitable scale tared with a representative empty can and lid. 

Results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 ounce. 

(3) Microbiological testing. Five filled and sealed cans of finished product shall be 

selected at random from the lot regardless of lot size. The contents of each sample can shall 

be tested for aerobic plate count and for E. Coli in accordance with the Official Methods of 

Analysis of the AOAC, methods 966.23, and 966.24, and 991.14. The diluent shall be added 

to each sample of dry product and allowed to stand for 15 minutes before the blending of that 

sample. Continue as directed by the AOAC. Any result not conforming to the 

microbiological requirements in C-2, E, (5) shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(4) Moisture content testing. Eight filled and sealed cans shall be selected at random 

from the lot regardless of lot size. The contents of each can shall be tested for moisture 

content in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC method 925.45/A 

or 926.08 (except that the temperature-time cycle for moisture analysis shall be modified by 

using a temperature of 70°C for 16 hours at a pressure of not more than 100 mm of mercury). 

Test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. Any result not conforming to the 

requirements specified in Section C of this Performance-based Contract Requirements 

document shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(5) Oxygen content in the headspace gas examination. The oxygen test shall be 

performed within 24 hours of packaging. The determination of the oxygen content in the 

headspace gas shall be by using an electronic oxygen analyzer which operates on the 

principle of the difference in partial pressure of oxygen between the oxygen reference and the 

oxygen content of the sample as detected by a porous zirconia sensor, such as the Illinois 

Instrument Analyzer or its equivalent, or on the principle of paramagnetic resonance such as 
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the Servomex analyzer, or its equivalent. The oxygen analyzer shall be calibrated to a known 

standard prior to testing the headspace gas of the product. Any result not conforming to the 

oxygen in headspace requirement in C-2, L shall be classified as a major defect. The lot size 

shall be expressed in units of cans. The sample unit shall be one filled and sealed can. The 

inspection level shall be S-2 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, 

shall be 1.5. Test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent.

(6) Can leakage examination. Cans shall be inspected for leakage. The sample unit 

shall be one filled and sealed can. The lot size shall be expressed in cans. The sealed cans 

shall be examined for leakage by submerging the can in water contained in a vacuum 

desicator, Mead Tester, or equivalent device, and drawing a vacuum of 10 inches of mercury 

(atmospheric pressure 29.9 inches of Hg) for at least 30 seconds. A leak is indicted by a 

steady progression of bubbles and is a major defect. Isolated bubbles caused by air entrapped 

in the double seam are not considered signs of leakage. The inspection level shall be S-2 and 

the AQL, expressed as defects per hundred units, shall be 1.5. 

(7) Analytical. The sample to be analyzed shall be a one-pound composite of three 

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

composite sample shall be prepared and analyzed in accordance with the following Official 

Methods of Analysis of AOAC International (OMA).

Test Method Number

Protein 988.05 or 991.20 or 992.15

Fat 925.12, 991.36, 2008.06

Sodium 985.35 or 984.27 or 969.23

Protein and fat test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent and sodium test results 

shall be reported to the nearest 10 mg/100g. Verification will be conducted through actual 

testing by a Government laboratory. Any result not conforming to the analytical requirements 

shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS, No. 10 METAL CAN)

 A. Packaging. 

(1) Can condition examination. Examination of filled and sealed cans shall be in 

accordance with the United States Standards for Condition of Food Containers. In addition, 

scratches, scuffs or abrasions that occur on the outside coating as a result of the filling, 

sealing, and processing of the cans shall not be scored as a defect.
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(2) Can closure examination. Can closures shall be examined visually and by 

teardowns in accordance with the can manufacturer's requirement and 21 CFR, Part 113, 

Subpart D, or 9 CFR, Part 318, Subpart G, as applicable. Any nonconformance based on 

observation of can seam teardowns or on record of can seam teardowns shall be classified as 

a major defect and shall be cause for rejection of any involved product. 

 B. Labeling. 

(1) Can labeling examination. The can labeling shall be examined in accordance with 

the requirements of DSCP FORM 2997, Labeling of Metal Cans for Subsistence. Any 

nonconformance shall be classified as a major defect.

 C. Packing. 

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

containers shall be examined for the defects listed in table II 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. 

TABLE II. Shipping container and marking defects

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Marking omitted, incorrect, illegible, or improper size, location 

sequence or method of application. 

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 Number of cans not as specified.

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. Unitization. 

(1) Unit load examination. The unit load shall be examined in accordance with the 

requirements of DSCP FORM 3507, Loads, Unit: Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence 

Items. Any nonconformance shall be classified as a major defect.
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SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

DSCP FORMS

DSCP FORM 2997 Labeling of Metal Cans for Subsistence

DSCP FORM 3507 Loads, Unit: Preparation of Semiperishable Subsistence 

Items

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

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

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

(21 CFR Parts 1-199) and (9 CFR Parts 1-391) 

U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR QUALITY (ASQ)

ANSI/ASQCZ1.4-1993 Sampling Procedures and Tables for Inspection by 

Attributes

ASTM INTERNATIONAL

D1974-98 (2003) Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, 

and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes 

D3951-98 (2004) Standard Practice for Commercial Packaging

D5118/D5118M-95 (2001) Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes

AOAC INTERNATIONAL Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International 

(OMA)