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SECTION C

This document covers trail mix, recovery packaged in a flexible pouch for use by the 

Department of Defense as a component of operational rations. 

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PCR-T-014A, TRAIL MIX, RECOVERY, PACKAGED IN A FLEXIBLE POUCH, 

SHELF STABLE

Types. 

Type I - Trail mix, recovery with pretzels

Type II - Trail mix, recovery with beef jerky

Packages. 

Package C - Meal, Ready-to-Eat (MRE)

Package J - First Strike Ration® (FSR)

Package M - Close Combat Assault Ration (CCAR)

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 noncomparable 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. Shelf life. The packaged product shall meet the minimum shelf life requirement of 36 

months at 80oF.
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 C. Appearance. 

(1) General. The finished product shall be a free-flowing mixture of the specified 

components. The product shall be free of clumped ingredients that cannot be broken with 

light pressure. The finished product shall be free from foreign materials.

(2) Type I. The recovery trail mix with pretzels shall be a mixture of pretzels, 

peanuts, almonds and cashews. 

(3) Type II. The recovery trail mix with beef jerky shall be a mixture of beef jerky, 

almonds and cranberries.

(4) Composition. The percentage of components in the packaged product shall be as 

follows:

Composition of Trail Mix, Recovery 

Component 

Type I 

Percent 

(Minimum by weight) 

Type II 

Percent 

(Minimum by weight) 

Pretzels 42.0 ---

Peanuts 1/ 2/ 3/ 22.0 ---

Almonds 1/ 3/ 14.0 25.0

Cashews 1/ 2/ 3/ 14.0 ---

Beef jerky --- 30.0

Cranberries 1/ --- 30.0

1/ All nuts and cranberries shall be from the most recent crop year.

2/ The peanuts and cashews shall be uniformly coated with a transparent food grade material 

that aids in reduction of oxidative rancidity. The types and amounts of antioxidant shall be 

approved by the FDA and the final product mix shall not have antioxidants exceeding 

approved limits. 

3/ The raw/blanched peanuts, used to produce the dry roasted peanut component, shall meet 

the minimum quality standards for peanuts for human consumption as provided by 7 CFR 

996. Peanuts and each of the tree nuts shall have a negative aflatoxin content. Negative 

aflatoxin content means 15 parts per billion (ppb) or less. 
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(5) Components. 

 a. Pretzels. The pretzels shall be lightly salted balls and shall be 3/8 to 1/2 inch in 

diameter. Pretzels shall have a golden-brown exterior color and a creamy-white interior 

color. 

 a. Pretzels. The pretzels shall be lightly salted and shall have a golden-brown 

exterior color and a creamy-white interior color. The pretzels shall be 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch 

diameter balls or shall be approximately 1/2 inch in length by 1/4 inch in width rectangular 

pieces. 

 b. Peanuts. The peanuts shall be U.S. No. 1 Spanish of the U.S. Standards for 

Grades of Shelled Spanish Type Peanuts or U.S. No. 1 Runner of the U.S. Standards for 

Grades of Shelled Runner Type Peanuts or U.S. No. 1 Virginia of the U.S. Standards for 

Grades of Shelled Virginia Type Peanuts. The peanuts shall be blanched, skinless and dry 

roasted.

 c. Almonds. The almonds shall be raw and shall be U.S. Standard Sheller Run, 

count range per ounce shall be 23 to 36 inclusive as specified in the U.S. Standards for 

Grades of Shelled Almonds. The almonds shall be uniform in shape and size. 

 d. Cashews. The cashews shall be derived from the classification of “Extra” class 

of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Standard DDP-17. The 

cashews shall be roasted.

 e. Beef jerky. The beef jerky shall be rectangular pieces and shall be approximately 

1/2 inch in length by 1/4 inch in width by 1/8 inch thick. The beef jerky shall have a dark 

reddish-brown to dark brown surface color with a reddish-brown interior color. The beef 

jerky shall have a dried and slightly wrinkled exterior surface. 

 f. Cranberries. The dried and infused sliced cranberries shall be a red to dark red 

cranberry color.

 D. Odor and flavor. The packaged food shall be free from foreign or rancid odors and 

flavors. 

(1) Type I. The packaged food shall have a roasted peanut, raw almond and roasted 

cashew odor and a slightly salted baked wheat flour pretzel, shelled, unsalted, roasted peanut, 

raw almond, and roasted cashew flavor. 
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(2) Type II. The packaged food shall have a smoked, dried, cured, teriyaki beef odor 

and flavor. The packaged food shall have a raw almond, sour and sweet cranberry and salty 

beef flavor. 

 E. Texture. The nuts shall be firm to crunchy. 

(1) Type I. The pretzels shall be crunchy and have a hard surface and a dry, crunchy 

center.

(2) Type II. The beef jerky shall be firm and chewy and shall be fibrous and cohesive. 

The beef jerky shall not be excessively dry and shall not be excessively mealy. The dried and 

infused cranberries shall be moist and chewy.

 F. Net weight. The net weight of an individual pouch shall be not less than 2.2 ounces (62 

grams).

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

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance. 

 H. Analytical requirements. 

(1) Carbohydrate. 

 a. Type I. The carbohydrate content shall be not less than 30 grams and not 

greater than 36 grams per 2.2 ounce (62 grams) serving. 

 b. Type II. The carbohydrate content shall be not less than 30 grams and not greater 

than 40 grams per 2.2 ounce (62 grams) serving. 

(2) Protein. The protein content shall be not less than 9 grams per 2.2 ounce (62 

grams) serving. 

(3) Sodium. 

 a. Type I. The sodium content shall be not greater than 700 mg per 100 grams. 

 b. Type II. The sodium content shall be not greater than 900 mg per 100 grams. 
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(4) Moisture. 

 a. Type I. The average moisture content shall be not greater than 4.5 percent and no 

individual pouch shall have a moisture content greater than 5.0 percent.

 b. Type II. The average moisture content shall be not greater than 14.0 percent and 

no individual pouch shall have a moisture content greater than 14.5 percent. 

(5) Water activity. The water activity (aw) for type II shall be not greater than 0.65. 

(6) Oxygen. The oxygen content of the filled and sealed pouch shall not exceed 2.0 

percent.

 I. Microbiological requirement. 

(1) Aerobic plate count. The aerobic plate count for type II shall not be 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 individual sample. 

(2) Escherichia coli (E. coli) count. E. coli for type II shall have less than 3 CFU per 

gram or less than 3 Most Probable Number (MPN) per gram, where findings indicate zero 

colonies CFU per plate or zero tubes producing gas for MPN. 

(3) Salmonella. The product shall be Salmonella negative. 

(4) Aflatoxin. The aflatoxin content shall be negative (15 ppb or less). 

C-3 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

THE FOLLOWING IS INFORMATION ONLY TO PROVIDE THE BENEFIT OF PAST 

GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY CONTRACT 

REQUIREMENT.
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 A. Type II. Beef jerky with a water activity (aw) of less than or equal to 0.65 has been 

shown to meet end item requirements. 

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. Product shall be packaged in a preformed pouch or form-fill-seal barrier 

pouch as described below. 

(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. The 

complete exterior surface of the pouch shall be uniformly colored and shall conform to 

number 20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of SAE-AMS-595, Colors 

Used in Government Procurement. 

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

maximum inside dimensions of 5-1/2 inches wide by 6-3/4 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 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. 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. For packages C and J, the product shall be filled into 

the pouch and shall be nitrogen flushed or provided with an oxygen scavenger. The filled 

pouch shall be sealed. For package M only, the filled pouch shall be sealed under a vacuum 

of not less than 25 inches of mercury with a minimum 1/8 inch wide heat seal. The closure 
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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 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.

(2) Horizontal form-fill-seal pouch. 

 a. Pouch material. The horizontal form-fill-seal pouch shall consist of a formed 

tray-shaped body with a flat sheet, heat sealable cover or a tray-shaped body with a trayshaped heat sealable cover. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be 

fabricated from a 3-ply flexible laminate barrier material consisting of, from outside to 

inside, 0.0009 inch thick oriented polypropylene bonded to 0.0007 inch thick aluminum foil 

with 10 pounds per ream pigmented polyethylene or adhesive and bonding the opposite side 

of the aluminum foil to 0.003 inch thick ionomer or a blend of not less than 50 percent linear 

low density polyethylene and polyethylene. The linear low density polyethylene portion of 

the blend shall be the copolymer of ethylene and octene-1 having a melt index range of 0.8 to 

1.2 g/10 minutes in accordance with ASTM D1238, Standard Test Method for Flow Rates of 

Thermoplastics by Extrusion Plastometer and a density range of 0.918 to 0.922 g/cc in 

accordance with ASTM D1505, Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by the DensityGradient Technique. Alternatively, 0.0005 inch thick polyester may be used in place of the 

oriented polypropylene as the outer ply of the laminate. The flat sheet cover shall be made of 

the same 3-ply laminate as specified for the tray-shaped body except the aluminum foil 

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

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

requirements of the exterior (oriented polypropylene or polyester side) of the laminate shall 

be as specified in D-1,A(1)a. The material shall show no evidence of delamination, 

degradation, or foreign odor when heat sealed or fabricated into pouches. The material shall 

be suitably formulated for food packaging and shall not impart any odor or flavor to the 

product. 

 b. Pouch construction. The tray-shaped body and the tray-shaped cover shall be 

formed by drawing the flexible laminate material into an appropriately shaped cavity. The 

flat cover shall be in the form of a flat sheet of the barrier material taken from roll stock. For 

packages C and J, the product shall be placed into the tray-shaped body of the pouch and 
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shall be nitrogen flushed or provided with an oxygen scavenger. For package M only, the 

product shall be placed into the tray-shaped body of the pouch and sealed under a vacuum of 

not less than 25 inches of mercury. Pouch closure shall be effected by heat sealing together 

the cover and body along the entire pouch perimeter. The closure seal width shall be a 

minimum of 1/8 inch. The closure seal shall have an average seal strength of not less than 6 

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

pounds per inch of width. 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 maximum 

outside dimensions of the sealed pouch shall be 6 inches wide by 7-1/4 inches long. A tear 

nick, notch or serrations shall be provided to facilitate opening of the filled and sealed pouch. 

The sealed pouch shall not show any evidence of material degradation, aluminum stress 

cracking, delamination or foreign odor. Heat seals shall be free of 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.

(3) Oxygen scavenger. The oxygen scavenger, when applicable, shall be constructed 

of materials that are safe for direct food contact. The oxygen scavenger shall be in 

compliance with all applicable Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations. 

D-2 LABELING

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

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

The label shall contain the following information:

(1) Name of product (letters not less than 1/8 inch high)

(2) Ingredients

(3) Date 1/

(4) Net weight

(5) Name and address of packer

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

Education Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA regulations

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

final digit of the current year followed by the three digit Julian day code. For example, 14 
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February 2020 would be coded as 0045. 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 D5118/D5118M, Standard 

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

CF, class D, variety SW, minimum burst grade 200 or ECT 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/D1974M, 

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 DLA 

Troop Support 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. 

(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. 
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(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 performance requirements 

or any appearance or palatability failure shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

(2) Periodic review evaluation. 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: 

DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY

FCDD-SCC-EMR

COMBAT CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT COMMAND-SOLDIER CENTER

10 GENERAL GREENE AVENUE

NATICK, MA 01760-5056 

One lot shall be randomly selected during each calendar month of production or as otherwise 

specified in the contract. Three (3) sample units shall be randomly selected from that one 

production lot. The three (3) sample units shall be shipped to Natick within five (5) working 

days from the end of the production month from which they are randomly selected and upon 

completion of all USDA inspection requirements. The sample units will be evaluated for 

overall quality against the current first article or product demonstration model.

(3) Conformance inspection. Conformance inspection shall include the 

examinations/tests and 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 
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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.

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/

Category Defect

Major Minor

General

101 Product not type as specified.

102 Pouch does not contain one intact oxygen scavenger. 8/

103 Product not a free-flowing mixture or has clumped ingredients that 

cannot be broken with light pressure. 

201 Type I pretzels not lightly salted balls or not 3/8 to 1/2 inch in 

diameter. 9/ 

201 Type I pretzels not lightly salted or not a golden-brown exterior color 

or not a creamy-white interior color. 

202 Type I pretzels do not have a golden-brown exterior color or do not 

have a creamy-white interior color.

202 Type I pretzels not 3/8 inch to 1/2 inch diameter balls or approximately 

1/2 inch in length by 1/4 inch in width rectangular pieces. 9/ 

203 Type II dried and infused sliced cranberries not a red to dark red 

cranberry color.

204 Type II beef jerky not rectangular pieces or not approximately 1/2 inch 

in length by 1/4 inch in width by 1/8 inch thick. 9/ 

205 Type II beef jerky not a dark reddish-brown to dark brown surface 

color or not with a reddish-brown interior color.
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206 Type II beef jerky not a dried or not a slightly wrinkled exterior 

surface.

Odor and flavor

104 Type I packaged food does not have an odor of roasted peanut, or not 

raw almond or not roasted cashew or does not have a flavor of slightly 

salted baked wheat flour pretzel or not shelled, unsalted, roasted 

peanut or not raw almond or not roasted cashew. 

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/ 4/ 5/ 6/ 7/ - Continued

Category Defect

Major Minor

105 Type II packaged food does not have a smoked or not a dried or not a 

cured or not a teriyaki beef odor or flavor. 

106 Type II packaged food does not have a raw almond or not a sour or not 

a sweet cranberry or not a salty beef flavor.

Texture

207 Nuts not firm to crunchy.

208 Type I pretzels not crunchy or not a hard surface or not a dry or not a 

crunchy center.

209 Type II beef jerky not firm or not chewy or not fibrous or not cohesive.

210 Type II beef jerky is excessively dry or is excessively mealy.

211 Type II dried and infused cranberries not moist or not chewy.

Net weight

212 Net weight of an individual pouch less than 2.2 ounces (62 grams). 
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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/ The percentage of components shall be determined using the following procedure: The 

total contents of twenty pouches shall be weighed and the individual ingredients of the 

composite shall be separated and weighed separately. The percentages of each component 

shall be determined and the results reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. A Certificate of 

Conformance (CoC) for the mixture is an alternative method of acceptance. Any product not 

conforming to this requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot. 

4/ The producer shall provide a CoC from the supplier for each incoming lot indicating that 

the nuts supplied and used in the formulation meet all the requirements for the most recent 

crop year at the time of product packaging. The CoC shall be dated, state the harvest period 

for the lot(s) (for example – harvested during October 2020 through January 2021 crop 

season), and identify the lot(s) covered by the CoC. Any product not conforming to this 

requirement shall be cause for rejection of any component lot(s) or any involved product. 

5/ The producer shall provide a USDA certificate that the raw/blanched peanuts used to 

produce the roasted peanut ingredient have a negative aflatoxin content in accordance with 7 

CFR 996. Negative aflatoxin content means 15 ppb or less for peanuts that have been 

certified as meeting edible quality grade standards. In addition, the producer shall provide a 

USDA certificate for each of the tree nuts verifying the negative aflatoxin content of 15 ppb 

or less.

6/ Grade standard requirements for peanuts and almonds shall be verified by a USDA Grade 

Certificate. Quality classification requirements of UNECE for cashews shall be verified by 

CoC.

7/ The antioxidant coating on the peanuts and cashews shall be verified by the producer’s 

Certificate of Analysis (CoA). 

8/ Not applicable if nitrogen flushed or vacuum sealed. If oxygen scavenger is included, the 

construction of the oxygen scavenger and compliance with FDA regulations will be verified 

by CoC. 
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9/ Shape and size of pretzels balls and beef jerky shall be verified by CoC. 

 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 80oF. Government verification may include 

storage for 6 months at 100oF or 36 months at 80oF. 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 quality scale 

to be considered acceptable. 

(2) 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 and 

oxygen scavenger, when applicable. Results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 ounce or to 

the nearest 1 gram. 

(3) Analytical. 

 a. Carbohydrate and protein. The carbohydrate and protein content shall be verified 

by the NLEA “Nutrition Facts” label. Product not conforming to the carbohydrate or protein 

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

 b. Sodium testing. 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 composited sample 

shall be prepared and analyzed in accordance with the Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) 

of AOAC International method 985.35, 984.27 or 2011.14. Test results shall be reported to 

the nearest 1.0 mg per 100 grams. Government verification will be conducted through actual 

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

shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 c. Moisture testing. The moisture content shall be determined in accordance with 

the OMA of AOAC International method 925.45A except that the temperature-time cycle for 

moisture analysis shall be modified by using a temperature of 70°C (158°F) for 16 hours at a 

pressure of not more than 100 mm of mercury. The contents of each pouch shall be blended 

to uniformity using a blender or food processor. Results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 

percent. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The sample unit shall be one filled and 

sealed pouch. The inspection level shall be S-2 and the AQL, expressed in terms of defects 
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per hundred units, shall be 2.5. Any result not conforming to the analytical requirement shall 

be cause for rejection of the lot.

 d. Water activity (aw) testing. Eight filled and sealed pouches shall be randomly 

selected from one production lot and individually tested for aw in accordance with the latest 

edition of the OMA of AOAC International method 978.18, using an electric hygrometer 

system self-temperature controlled at 77° F (25°C) or an equivalent instrument. Water 

activity shall be determined not less than 48 hours after packing to allow moisture 

equilibration in the product. Test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.01 aw. Government 

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

not conforming to the analytical requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

 e. Oxygen testing. Eight filled and sealed pouches shall be randomly selected from 

one production lot and individually tested for oxygen content. Testing shall be accomplished 

after the filled and sealed pouches have been allowed to equilibrate at room temperature for 

not less than 48 hours from the time of sealing. Test results shall be reported to the nearest 

0.1 percent. Government verification will be conducted through actual testing by a 

Government laboratory. Any individual result not conforming to the oxygen content 

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

(4) Microbiological testing. Five filled and sealed pouches shall be randomly selected 

from the lot regardless of lot size. The pouched product shall be individually tested for 

microbiological levels in accordance with the latest edition of the OMA of AOAC 

International or the FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM). For aerobic plate count 

the results for each pouched product tested must comply as provided in C-2, I(1). For E. coli

and Salmonella, results for each pouch must comply as provided respectively in C-2, I(2) and 

(3). Any result not conforming to the microbiological requirements shall be cause for 

rejection of the lot.

Test Method Number

Aerobic plate count 966.23, 990.12, or BAM, Ch. 3 

E.coli 991.14, 2005.03

Salmonella 967.26, 967.28, 986.35, 996.08, 2000.06, 2003.09, 

2004.03, or 2011.03

(5) Aflatoxin testing. 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 composited sample 

shall be prepared and analyzed in accordance with the OMA of AOAC International method 
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991.31 A-F, H, with preparation of the sample performed according to AOAC method

977.16. Test results shall be reported to the nearest whole number. Government verification 

will be conducted through actual testing by a Government laboratory. Any result not 

conforming to the requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

NOTE: The following conditions apply for aflatoxin testing:

a. For prepackaged recovery trail mix product received from a supplier and is 

not further processed, the contractor will furnish a CoA that the aflatoxin in the nut 

ingredients in the recovery trail mix represented is not greater than 15 ppb. No 

additional testing is required. Results shall be reported to the nearest whole number.

b. For nuts received in bulk (to be used in recovery trail mix end item), the 

contractor can accept a USDA certificate that the aflatoxin in the bulk lot is below 15 

ppb. If a USDA certificate does not accompany the bulk lot, the following alternate 

method of inspection may be used. The contractor shall have the bulk shipment 

sampled and tested by USDA. (Sampling shall take place at the contractor location 

where the finished product will be placed into the pouch.)

(i) Three sets of representative, independently-drawn samples shall be 

submitted to the laboratory for testing – the number of sampling points and quantity 

of roasted peanuts, almonds and cashews per sampling point to be determined using 

USDA procedures. Each of the three sets of samples shall be composited and 

respectively designated as test sample 1, test sample 2, and test sample 3.

(ii) Lots will be reported as negative for aflatoxin if test sample 1 has 

an aflatoxin level at or below 5 ppb. If test sample 1 is at or above 25 ppb the lot fails. 

(iii) If the aflatoxin level for test sample 1 is above 5 ppb and less than 

25 ppb, test sample 2 may be analyzed. Test results for test sample 1 and 2 will be 

averaged. If the average aflatoxin level for test samples 1 and 2 is 10 ppb or less the 

lot will be reported as negative for aflatoxin, but fails if the aflatoxin level is at or 

above 20 ppb.

(iv) If the average value for test samples 1 and 2 is above 10 ppb but 

less than 20 ppb, test sample 3 may be analyzed. The results of test samples 1, 2 and 3 

will be averaged. If the average aflatoxin level for test samples 1, 2, and 3 is 15 ppb 
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or less the lot will be reported as negative for aflatoxin. If the average aflatoxin level 

for test samples 1, 2, and 3 is above 15 ppb the lot fails. 

 (v) Bulk lots determined to be conforming for aflatoxin as evidenced 

by a USDA certificate, in accordance with the above procedures will be considered 

acceptable for use as ingredients. Results shall be reported to the nearest whole 

number. No additional finished product aflatoxin testing is required if the end item 

lots are manufactured using that bulk product and both the bulk and end item lots’ 

identities have been preserved. Bulk nuts with aflatoxin greater than 15 ppb shall not 

be used as ingredients.

c. If nuts are received in bulk (to be used in recovery trail mix end item), and 

the conditions in (b) above are not met, each end-item lot of recovery trail mix must 

be sampled and tested by USDA. End item lots determined to have not greater than 

15 ppb in aflatoxin in the roasted peanuts, almonds, and cashews ingredient (from the 

recovery trail mix) as evidenced by a USDA Certificate will be considered 

acceptable.

NOTE: A USDA CoA on nuts from the most recent crop year which have been kept 

in cold storage (between approximately 40°F to 50°F at low humidity) is acceptable. 

Contractor must attest to these storage conditions. If storage conditions for the nuts 

are not established, a USDA CoA for aflatoxin on the nuts will be considered current 

if not more than 30 days have elapsed since the date of the analysis.

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 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 and D-1,A(2)a ASTM D2103 1/

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

and construction 

D-1,A(1)a and D-1,A(2)a Laboratory evaluation

Color of laminated material D-1,A(1)a and D-1,A(2)a SAE-AMS-STD-595 3/

1/ Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting. 

2/ Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and Aluminum-Alloy Foil for Flexible 

Barrier, Food Contact, and Other Applications. 

3/ 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) Pouch vacuum examination (Package M). The filled and sealed pouches shall be 

visually examined for conformance to the vacuum requirement not less than 96 hours after 

filling and sealing. The sealed pouch 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 seal between 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. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The sample 

unit shall be one filled and sealed pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, 

expressed in terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65. 

 (4) Filled and sealed pouch examination. The filled and sealed pouches shall be 

examined for the defects listed in table II. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The 

sample unit shall be one pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in 

terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for minor defects. 

TABLE II. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.
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102 Seal width less than 1/16 inch. 2/

103 Presence of delamination. 3/

104 Unclean pouch. 4/ 

105 Pouch has foreign odor.

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

impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/ 

107 Not packaged as specified.

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

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

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

203 Seal width less than 1/8 inch but greater than or equal to 1/16 inch. 2/

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 
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outer ply shall be grasped between thumb and forefinger and gently lifted toward the food 

product edge of the seal or if the separated area is too small to be held between thumb and 

forefinger, a number two stylus shall be inserted into the delaminated area and a gentle lifting 

force applied against the outer ply. If separation of the outer ply can be made to extend to the 

product edge of the seal with no discernible resistance to the gentle lifting, the delamination 

shall be classified as a major defect. Additionally, spot delamination of the outer ply in the 

body of the pouch that is able to be propagated beyond its initial borders is also a major 

defect. To determine if the laminated area is a defect, use the following procedure: Mark the 

outside edges of the delaminated area using a bold permanent marking pen. Open the pouch 

and remove the contents. Cut the pouch transversely not closer than 1/4 inch (+1/16 inch) 

from the delaminated area. The pouch shall be flexed in the area in question using the 

procedure described above. Any propagation of the delaminated area, as evidenced by the 

delaminated area exceeding the limits of the outlined borders, shall be classified as a major 

defect.

Minor - Minor delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area is acceptable and 

shall not be classified as a minor defect unless it extends to within 1/16 inch of the food 

product edge of the seal. All other minor outer ply delamination in the pouch seal area or 

isolated spots of delamination in the body of the pouch that do not propagate when flexed as 

described above shall be classified as minor defects.

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

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

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

unclean:

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

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

with a clean dry cloth. 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

material degradation. 

 B. Methods of inspection. 

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

c, as applicable.

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

shall be tested for seal strength in accordance with ASTM F88/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 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 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 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.
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 c. Internal pressure test. The internal pressure resistance shall be determined by 

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

shall be the number of pouches indicated by inspection level S-1. If a three-seal tester (one 

that pressurizes the pouch through an open end) is used, the closure seal shall be cut off for 

testing the side and end of the pouch and the distance between restraining plates shall be 1/2 

inch. 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 

as close to 1/2 inch as possible while accommodating the thickness of the product, the 

product may be manipulated to fit within the confines of the restraining apparatus. Pressure 

shall be applied at the rate of 1-2 pounds per square inch gage (psig) per second until 14 psig 

pressure is reached. The 14 psig pressure shall be held constant for 30 seconds and then 

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

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

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

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

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

cause for rejection of the lot.

 C. Packing. 

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

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

SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

Unless otherwise specified, the applicable version of these documents is that which is active 

on the date of the solicitation or contract.

DLA Troop Support Form

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

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS

7 CFR 996 Minimum Quality and Handling Standards for 

Domestic and Imported Peanuts Marketed in the United 

States

U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Spanish Type Peanuts

U.S. Standards for Shelled Runner Type Peanuts

U.S. Standards for Shelled Virginia Type Peanuts

U.S. Standards for Grades of Shelled Almonds

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
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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

D1505 Standard Test Method for Density of Plastics by 

the Density-Gradient Technique 

D1974/1974M 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 

Shape 

D5118/D511M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard 

Shipping Boxes 

F88/F88M Standard Test Method for Seal Strength of 

Flexible Barrier Materials

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International 

SAE INTERNATIONAL www.sae.org

SAE AMS-STD-595 Colors Used in Government Procurement 

UNITED NATIONS ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE (UNECE)

UNECE STANDARD DDP-17 Cashew Kernels