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SECTION C

This document covers product packaged in a brickpack pouch for use by the Department of 

Defense as a component of operational rations.

C-1 ITEM DESCRIPTION

PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS AND QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS FOR 

PRODUCT PACKAGED IN A BRICKPACK POUCH

SECTION D

D-1 PACKAGING

 A. Packaging. The specified net weight of product (see section C of applicable product 

document) shall be packed in a barrier pouch. 

(1) Pouches. The pouch is to be used as a unit pack and as a rehydrating pouch for 

consumption of the product.

 a. Pouch material. The pouch shall be fabricated from 0.0035 inch thick linear low 

density polyethylene (LLDPE) sealant layer laminated or extrusion coated to 0.00035 inch 

thick aluminum foil which is then bonded with 10 pound per ream low density polyethylene 

(LDPE) to 0.0006 inch thick biaxially oriented nylon (BON). The three plies may be 

laminated with the nylon on the exterior of the pouch. Alternatively, pouches may be 

fabricated from 0.0035 inch thick LLDPE sealant layer laminated or extrusion coated to 

0.0006 inch thick (BON), which is laminated to 0.00035 inch thick aluminum foil which is

then bonded to 0.0005 inch thick polyester. The LLDPE sealant film shall be heat sealable 

and capable of producing a fusion seal or shall be heat sealable and peelable. 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 material shall be approved for addition of hot water (less than or equal to 

212°F). The complete exterior surface of the pouch shall be uniformly colored in the range of

20219, 30219, 30227, 30279, 30313, 30324, or 30450 of FED-STD-595, Colors used in 

Government Procurement. 

 b. Pouch construction. The pouch shall be a prefabricated, square bottom gusset 

style bag having inside dimensions of 3-3/8 inches (+ 1/8 inch) for the face width, 2-9/16 
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inches (+ 1/8 inch) for the gusset width, and 10 inches (+ 1/8 inch) in length. The pouch shall 

be fabricated by heat sealing a fin seal down the length of the pouch and a bottom seal along

the face of the pouch. Heat seals shall have a minimum width of 1/4 inch. The fusion heat 

seal shall have an average seal strength of not less than 7 pounds per linear inch and no 

individual specimen shall have a seal strength of less than 6 pounds per linear inch. The 

peelable heat seal shall have an average seal strength of not less than 6 pounds per linear inch 

with no individual sample less than 5 pounds per linear inch and no individual sample greater 

than 14 pounds per linear inch. Fusion heat sealed pouches shall be provided with 

appropriate tear nick, notch or serrations to facilitate opening of the filled and sealed pouch.

Suggested tear notch locations are provided in figure 1.

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

pouch shall be sealed under a minimum vacuum level of 23 inches of mercury. The sealed 

pouch shall show no evidence of material degradation or delamination. The closure seal shall 

be free of foldover wrinkles or entrapped matter that reduces the effective closure seal width 

to less than 1/16 inch. Seals shall be free of impression or design on the seal surface that 

would conceal or impair visual detection of seal defects. The average fusion heat seal 

strength shall be not less than 7 pounds per linear inch of width and no individual specimen 

shall have a seal strength of less than 6 pounds per linear inch of width. The average peelable 

heat seal strength shall be not less than 6 pounds per linear inch and no individual sample 

less than 5 pounds per linear inch and no individual sample greater than 14 pounds per linear 

inch. The filled and sealed pouch shall have a minimum 1/8 inch width heat seal.

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 information shall be located on the body of the pouch opposite the fin seal, and not 

closer than 1/16 inch to any seal. If a non-contact type printer is used, the information may be 

located anywhere on the pouch (in one complete print), except the fin seal face and the 

closure seal area. The label shall contain the following information:
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(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/USDA regulations

(7) Directions: 

 a. For Entrée Items: Add 16 ounces of hot water (about 3/4 canteen cup) to 

pouch. Stir, wait approximately 10 minutes. Hot water may be added in stages to 

keep food hot.

 b. For Breakfast Items: Add 8 ounces of hot water (about 1/3 canteen cup) to 

pouch. Stir, wait approximately 5-10 minutes. Hot water may be added in stages to 

keep food hot.

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

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

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

product was packaged into the pouch.

 B. Pouches with peelable seals. Each pouch shall be clearly printed, not more than1-1/2 

inches from the top of the unfilled pouch as follows:

PEELABLE SEAL (letters not less than 1/8 to 7/16 inch block letters)

D-3 PACKING

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

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

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

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

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

and Cut Shapes. Each box shall be closed in accordance with ASTM D1974/D1974M,

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

metal fasteners are used in the box manufacturer’s joint or set-up, the fasteners on the inside 

of the box shall be covered with tape to protect the contents from mechanical damage.
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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.

E-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS (PACKAGING AND PACKING 

MATERIALS)

 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) Conformance inspection. Conformance inspection shall include the 

examinations/tests and the methods of inspection cited in this section.
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 C. Packaging.

(1) Pouch material certification. The pouch material shall be tested for these 

characteristics. A Certificate of Conformance (CoC) may be accepted as evidence that the 

characteristics conform to the specified requirements. Compliance to 21 CFR substances in 

contact with near boiling water (< 212°F) may be verified by CoC. In addition, compliance to 

the requirements for inside pouch dimensions and dimensions of manufacturer's seals may be 

verified by CoC.

Characteristic Requirement paragraph Test procedure

Thickness of films for laminated 

material

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

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

Laminated material 

identification and construction

D-1,A(1)a Laboratory evaluation

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

1/ 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,D(1)a.

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

examined for the defects listed in table I. 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.
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TABLE I. Filled and sealed pouch defects 1/ 

Category Defect

Major Minor

101 Tear or hole or open seal.

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

103 Presence of delamination. 3/

104 Unclean pouch. 4/

105 Pouch has foreign odor.

106 Any impression or design on the heat seal surfaces which 

conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects. 5/

107 Not packaged as specified.

108 Any evidence of loss of vacuum. 6/

109 Peelable pouch does not open where indicated.

201 Label missing or incorrect or illegible.

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

opening (applicable to fusion sealed pouches only).

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

inch.

204 Presence of delamination. 3/

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

2/ The effective closure seal is defined as any uncontaminated, fusion bonded, continuous 

path, minimum 1/16 inch wide, from side seal to side seal that produces a hermetically sealed 

pouch.

3/ Delamination defect classification:
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Major - Delamination of the outer ply in the pouch seal area that can be propagated to 

expose aluminum foil at the food product edge of the pouch after manual flexing of the 

delaminated area. To flex, the delaminated area shall be held between the thumb and 

forefinger of each hand with both thumbs and forefingers touching each other. The 

delaminated area shall then be rapidly flexed 10 times by rotating both hands in alternating 

clockwise - counterclockwise directions. Care shall be exercised when flexing delaminated 

areas near the tear notches to avoid tearing the pouch material. After flexing, the separated 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

defect.

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

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

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

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

described above shall be classified as minor defects.

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).
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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/ The filled and vacuum sealed pouches shall be visually examined for conformance to the 

vacuum requirement in section D-1,A(1)c 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 top and bottom seal. This force shall be 

applied by holding the top and bottom seal between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, 

while simultaneously exerting a slight pull with both hands. Any evidence of loss of vacuum 

shall be classified as a major defect.

 D. Methods of inspection.

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

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 pouch. The sample size shall be the number of pouches 

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

or end of each pouch in the sample. The average seal strength shall be calculated by 

averaging the three specimens cut from that side or end. When testing the end seal of the 

pouch, one of the three specimens shall be cut from the center of the seal incorporating the 

folded fin seal juncture of the heat seal. For fusion heat seals, any average seal strength of 

less than 7 pounds per linear inch of width or any test specimen with a seal strength of less 

than 6 pounds per linear inch of width shall be classified as a major defect and shall be cause

for rejection of the lot. For peelable heat seals, any average seal strength of less than 6 

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

linear inch or greater than 14 pounds per linear inch shall be classified as a major defect and 

shall be cause for rejection of the lot.

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

seal strength in accordance with ASTM 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. One of the 

specimens shall be cut from the center of the seal incorporating the folded fin seal juncture of 

the heat seal. The average seal strength of any side, end or closure shall be calculated by 
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averaging the three specimens cut from that side, end or closure. For fusion heat seals, any 

average seal strength of less than 7 pounds per linear inch of width or any test specimen with 

a seal strength of less than 6 pounds per linear inch of width shall be classified as a major 

defect and shall be cause for rejection of the lot. For peelable heat seals, any average seal 

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

than 5 pounds per linear inch or greater than 14 pounds per linear inch shall be classified as a 

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

 E. Packing.

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

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

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 Forms

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

Perishable and Semiperishable Subsistence

FEDERAL STANDARD 
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FED-STD-595 Colors Used in Government Procurement

NON-GOVERNMENTAL STANDARDS

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

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

Attributes

AOAC INTERNATIONAL www.aoac.org

Official Methods of Analysis (OMA) of AOAC International

ASTM INTERNATIONAL www.astm.org

B479 Standard Specification for Annealed Aluminum and 

Aluminum-Alloy Foil for Flexible Barrier, Food Contact, 

and Other Applications

D1974/D1974M Standard Practice for Methods of Closing, Sealing, and 

Reinforcing Fiberboard Boxes

D2103 Standard Specification for Polyethylene Film and Sheeting

D4727/D4727M Standard Specification for Corrugated and Solid Fiberboard 

Sheet Stock (Container Grade) and Cut Shapes

D5118/D5118M Standard Practice for Fabrication of Fiberboard Shipping 

Boxes

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

Materials
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FIGURE 1. Brickpack Pouch