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SECTION C

This document covers thermostabilized mashed potatoes packaged in a flexible pouch for use 

by the Department of Defense as a component of operational rations.

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PCR-P-011A, POTATOES, MASHED, PACKAGED IN A FLEXIBLE POUCH, 

SHELF STABLE

C-2 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

Flavors.

I – Plain 

II – Garlic

 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. Commercial sterility. The packaged food shall be processed until commercially sterile.

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

months at 80oF.

 D. Appearance. 

(1) General. The product shall show no evidence of excessive heating (materially 

darkened or scorched). The finished product shall be free from foreign materials.

(2) Flavor I. The plain mashed potatoes shall be off white to pale tan in color, 

moderately thick, and may have some small lumps. The plain mashed potatoes may have 

pieces of potato skin.
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(3) Flavor II. The garlic mashed potatoes shall be white to off white, moderately 

thick, and may have some small lumps. The product may contain pieces of parsley.

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

(1) Flavor I. The product shall have a cooked potato and mild butter odor and flavor.

(2) Flavor II. The product shall have a cooked potato and garlic odor and flavor.

 F. Texture.

(1) Flavors I and II. The mashed potatoes shall be moderately thick and may have 

some small soft lumps. The potatoes shall not be pasty.

 G. Net weight. The average net weight shall be not less than 5.0 ounces (142 grams). The 

net weight of an individual pouch shall be not less than 4.5 ounces (128 grams).

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

the approved product standard in palatability and overall appearance.

 I. Analytical requirements.

(1) Fat content. The fat content shall be not greater than 5.0 percent. Flavor II garlic 

mashed potatoes shall be prepared without ingredients which contribute trans fats from 

hydrogenated oils.

(2) Salt content. 

a. Flavor I. The salt content shall be not greater than 1.3 percent.

b. Flavor II. The salt content shall be not greater than 1.0 percent.

(3) Moisture content. The moisture content shall be not greater than 83.0 percent.
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C-3 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

THE FOLLOWING IS INFORMATION ONLY TO PROVIDE THE BENEFIT OF PAST 

GOVERNMENT EXPERIENCE. THIS IS NOT A MANDATORY CONTRACT 

REQUIREMENT.

A. Flavor I. Ingredients and formulation percentages may be as follows:

Ingredients Percent by weight

Dehydrofrozen potatoes 47.00

Water 46.97

Margarine 5.00

Salt 1.00

White pepper, ground 0.03

THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS ARE FOR INFORMATION ONLY. THIS IS NOT A 

MANDATORY CONTRACT REQUIREMENT.

B. Flavor II.

(1) Ingredients. Water, potatoes, margarine (partially hydrogenated and fully refined 

soybean oil, water, salt, mono and diglycerides, whey, and soy lecithin, sodium benzoate 

added to help preserve freshness, artificial flavor, artificially colored with beta carotene, 

vitamin A palmitate added) cream cheese (pasteurized milk and cream, cheese culture, salt, 

carob bean gum), garlic (garlic, water, citric acid), salt sodium bisulfite (preservative), 

pepper and parsley. Allergen information: Contains Milk and Soy

(2) Color standard. The color is approximately # 1 on the National Cheese Institute 

Cheese Color Standard, from Cargill Foods, Phone 1-800-342-5724, www.cargill.com.

Note: Flavor II product used was produced by Ameriqual Foods.
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SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

Product shall be filled into pouches and each pouch shall be packed in a carton in accordance 

with MIL-PRF-44073, Packaging of Food in Flexible Pouches, Type I. Product shall be filled 

into pouches and sealed in accordance with MIL-PRF-44073, Packaging of Food in Flexible 

Pouches, Type I, Style 1.

D-2 LABELING

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

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

Prior to thermal processing of the pouches, the product name, lot number and filling 

equipment number shall be applied. All other marking may be applied before or after thermal 

processing.

(1) Product name (not less than 1/8 inch high). Commonly used abbreviations may 

be used.

(2) Pouch code includes: 1/

Lot Number

Filling equipment identification number

Company code

Retort identification number and Retort cook number (Optional)

Time stamp (hour and minute of filling/sealing operation)

1/ The lot number shall be expressed as a four digit Julian code. The first digit shall indicate 

the year of production and the next three digits shall indicate the day of the year (Example, 

14 February 2010 would be coded as 0045). The Julian code shall represent the day the 

product was packaged into the pouch and processed. Following the four digit Julian code the 

other required code information shall be printed in the sequence as listed above.
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 B. Cartons. Paperboard sleeves.

(1) The cartons shall be clearly printed on one of the largest panels with permanent 

black ink as follows: The sleeves shall be clearly printed on one of the panels with permanent 

black ink as follows: 1/ 2/

Product name (7/32 to 9/32 inch block letters)

Ingredients 

Net weight

Name and address of packer

Code (same as pouch code, see pouches) 1/ 2/ 3/

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

Act (NLEA) and all applicable FDA regulations

1/ Code may be ink printed on any outside carton panel. Code may be embossed on any 

outside carton panel except the largest panels of the carton. 1/ With contracting officer 

approval, this information may be printed on the pouch or on a separate paperboard insert 

card in lieu of the paperboard sleeve.

2/ Company code not required in carton code. 2/ If printed on the sleeve, it shall be 

configured to fit alongside similar information for an accompanying pouched product. 

Identity of accompanying pouched product and approval of label design shall be obtained 

from the contracting officer.

3/ Cartons shall be time stamped with the hour and minute that the pouch is sealed into the 

carton. (Cartons are not expected to bear same time stamp as pouch). Alternatively, the 

optional Retort identification number and Retort cook number shall be used. 

(2) Military nutrition information entitled “Nutrition: A FORCE MULTIPLIER” shall 

be printed on the non entrée cartons large panel opposite to the panel printed with the data in 

D-2,B,(1) above. The information, provided by the contracting officer, shall be clearly 

printed with permanent black ink in an area no smaller than 3-3/4 inches by 5-3/4 inches.

(32) The product shall be formulated and labeled in accordance with all FDA labeling 

regulations and policies. The cartonssleeves (or pouches, or insert cards, as applicable) shall 

be labeled with the following product names, as applicable.

Flavors Product Name 

I MASHED POTATOES
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II GARLIC MASHED POTATOES

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 of ASTM D 5118/D 5118M, Standard Practice 

for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping Boxes. The fiberboard shall conform to type CF, class 

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

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

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

Closing, Sealing, and Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes. 

D-5 MARKING

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

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

Semiperishable Subsistence.

SECTION E INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

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

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

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

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

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

 A. Definitions.

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

as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

US Army Research, Development and Engineering Command

Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center

RDNS-CFF

15 Kansas Street

Natick, MA 01760-5018

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

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

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

production month and upon completion of all USDA inspection requirements. The sample 

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

quality.

(2) Conformance inspection. Conformance inspection shall include the 

examinations/tests and methods of inspection cited in this section and in Section 4 of MILPRF-44073.

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/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. 
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Defects and defect classifications are listed in table I. The pouches shall be immersed in not 

less than 140°F water for 10 minutes prior to conducting the product examination.

TABLE I. Product defects 1/ 2/ 3/

Category Defect

Major Minor

Appearance

101 Product not flavor as specified.

201 Flavor I plain mashed potatoes not an off white to pale tan

color.

202 Flavor II garlic mashed potatoes not a white to off white color. 

102 Product shows evidence of excessive heating (materially 

darkened or scorched).

Odor and flavor

103 Flavor I not a cooked potato or mild butter odor or flavor.

104 Flavor II not a cooked potato or garlic odor or flavor.

Texture

203 Mashed potatoes not moderately thick.

204 Mashed potatoes pasty.

Net weight

205 Net weight of an individual pouch less than 4.5 ounces (128 

grams). 4/

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 palatability 

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

3/ Flavor II garlic mashed potatoes, product ingredients not verified by a CoC as meeting the 

trans fat from hydrogenated oils requirement shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

4/ Sample average net weight less than 5.0 ounces (142 grams) shall be cause for rejection of 

the lot.

 B. Methods of inspection.

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

FDA regulations.

(2) Shelf life. The contractor shall provide a Certificate of Conformance that the 

product has a 36 month shelf life when stored at 80°F. Government verification may include 

storage for 6 months at 100°F or 36 months at 80°F. Upon completion of either storage 

period, the product will be subjected to a sensory evaluation panel for appearance and 

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

to be considered acceptable.

(3) Net weight. The net weight of the filled and sealed pouches shall be determined 

by weighing each sample on a suitable scale tared with a representative empty pouch. Results 

shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 ounce or to the nearest 1 gram.

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

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

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

(OMA) of AOAC International.

Test Method Number

Fat 922.06

Salt 935.47 

Moisture 925.45D

Test results shall be reported to the nearest 0.1 percent. Government 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.
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E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 A. Packaging.

(1) Pouch material testing. The pouch material shall be examined for the 

characteristics listed in table I of MIL-PRF-44073. The lot size, sample unit, and inspection 

level criteria for each of the test characteristics are listed below. Any test failure shall be 

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

Characteristic Lot size expressed in Sample unit Inspection level

Oxygen transmission rate yards 1/2 yard S-1

Water vapor transmission rate yards 1/2 yard S-1

Camouflage yards 1/2 yard S-1

Thermal processing pouches 1 pouch S-2

Low temperature pouches 1 pouch S-2

High temperature pouches 1 pouch S-2

Directional tear pouches 1 pouch S-3

(2) Filled and sealed pouch testing. The filled and sealed thermoprocessed or hot-fill 

processed pouches shall be examined for the characteristics listed in table I of MIL-PRF44073. The lot size, sample unit, and inspection level criteria for each of the test 

characteristics are listed below. Any test failure shall be classified as a major defect and shall 

be cause for rejection of the lot.

Characteristic Lot size expressed in Sample unit Inspection level

Residual gas volume pouches 1 pouch S-2

Internal pressure pouches 1 pouch S-2 1/

Directional tear pouches 1 pouch S-2

1/ When a three-seal tester is used, a separate set of samples is required for testing of the 

closure seal.

(3) Pouch examination. The pouches shall be examined for the defects listed in table 

II of MIL-PRF-44073. The lot size shall be expressed in pouches. The sample unit shall be 

one thermal processed pouch. The inspection level shall be I and the AQL, expressed in 

terms of defects per hundred units, shall be 0.65 for major A defects, 2.5 for major B defects, 
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and 4.0 for minor defects. Two hundred sample units shall be examined for critical defects. 

The finding of any critical defect shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

(4) Examination of pouch and carton assembly. The completed pouch and carton 

assemblies shall be examined for the defects listed in table III of MIL-PRF-44073 for Type I. 

The lot size shall be expressed in units of completed assemblies. The sample unit shall be one 

pouch and carton assembly. The inspection level shall be S-3 and the AQL, expressed in 

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

Fifty sample pouch and carton assemblies shall be examined for critical defects. The finding 

of any critical defect shall be cause for rejection of the lot. Sleeve examination 1/. The 

sleeves shall be examined for the defects listed in table III of MIL-PRF-44073 for Type I. 

The lot size shall be expressed in units of sleeves. The sample unit shall be one sleeve. The 

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

shall be 0.65 for major defects and 2.5 for minor defects.

1/ Or separate paperboard insert card when used in lieu of the paperboard sleeve.

 B. 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 missing or incorrect or illegible.

102 Inadequate workmanship. 1/

201 More than 40 pounds of product.

1/ Inadequate workmanship is defined as, but not limited to, incomplete closure of container 

flaps, loose strapping, inadequate stapling, improper taping, or bulged or distorted container.
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SECTION J REFERENCE DOCUMENTS

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

solicitation or contract.

DSCP FORMS

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

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS

MIL-PRF-44073 Packaging of Food in Flexible Pouches

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

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

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

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

Fiberboard Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes

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

Boxes 

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International