Commodity requirements Document.pdf

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

SSB3

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

(PEANUT FREE) PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Effective Date: 05/15/08

USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS

SSB3

SUNFLOWER SEED BUTTER

(PEANUT FREE) PRODUCTS

FOR USE IN DOMESTIC PROGRAMS

Table of Contents Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS ______________________________________ 1

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES ____________________________________________________ 1 Section 1.2 WARRANTY _______________________________________________________ 2 Section 1.3 “KOSHER ONLY” PRODUCTS _______________________________________ 3 Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE _____________________________________________ 3

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS_______________________ 3 Section 2.1 GENERAL _________________________________________________________ 3 Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS _______________________ 3 Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS_____________________________________ 4 Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS_____________________________________ 4

Part 1 COMMODITY SPECIFICATIONS

Section 1.1 COMMODITIES A. Quality of Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds used in the manufacture of sunflower seed butter shall be:

(1) Tested for aflatoxin and certified to be negative.

(2) Human food quality confectionery kernels and within the requirements of

U.S. Grade No. 1 or U.S. Grade No. 2

(3) Free of mildew stains, filth, or other extraneous material, and free from bitter, musty, sour, rancid, sprouty, or other objectionable tastes and odors.

(4) From current crop year stocks or as specified in the solicitation.

(5) For oil roasted sunflower seeds, the roasting oil shall be thoroughly refined, deodorized, and free from rancidity and objectionable flavor after heating to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and shall have a free-fatty acid content of not more than .08 percent (as oleic acid) prior to its first use. The roasting oil shall be stabilized using additives of a kind and at levels permitted in edible oil products under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Peanut oil is not allowable.

B. Quality of Sunflower Seed Butter

The finished product shall:

(1) Not exceed the microbiological requirements contained in the table below:

Microbiological Standards

Salmonella Negative E. Coli <3 MPN/g Coliform <10 MPN/g Aerobic Plate Count <10,000/g Yeast <50/gram Mold <50/gram

(2) Meet the requirements contained in the table below:

Per 32g Serving Minimum Maximum

Protein 7g --- Fats --- 16g Moisture --- 4% Peroxide (meq/kg) --- 1.5 Aflatoxin Negative Negative

(3) Be of a stabilized type. Stabilizers shall be derived solely from vegetable sources so as to prevent oil separation. Vegetable oils shall be produced from non-tropical sources; i.e., coconut, palm, and palm kernel. Peanut oil is not allowable. U.S. origin certification is not required for sweeteners and stabilizers used in the manufacture of the finished product.

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(4) Be finely ground and have a smooth texture. The consistency of the finished product shall be such that it spreads uniformly without tearing or breaking fresh white bread, and shall be free of any gelatin-like condition.

(5) Be crisp, palatable, and free from bitter, musty, sour, rancid, sprouty, or other objectionable tastes and odors.

(6) Be brown in the color hue as USDA Color 1, USDA Color 2, USDA Color 3, and USDA Color 4 defined in the "United States Standards for Grades of Peanut Butter". The standards are available at http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3011890.

The color intensity, or degree of lightness or darkness, may vary; however, the Government reserves the right to reject products lighter than USDA Color 1, and those darker than USDA Color 4.

C. Instructions for color determination

(1) The USDA Color Standards shall be viewed under standard lighting conditions. Compare the color of the USDA color standard with a representative sample of the finished product having an area and depth approximately equal to the color standard (2 inch x 3 inch x 1/8 inch). A suitable light source of approximately 250 foot candle intensity and having a spectral quality approximating that of daylight under a moderately overcast sky and a color temperature of 7500 degrees Kelvin ± 200 degrees is preferable. With a light source directly over the color standard and the product, observation is made at an angle of 45 degrees and at a distance of about 24 inches from the product.

(2) Though the appearance of the finished product should be similar to that of peanut butter, the product should never be directly compared with peanut butter given the risk of peanut contamination.

(3) To purchase plastic plates of the USDA Peanut Butter Colors 1, 2, 3 and 4, contact:

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service Fruit and Vegetable Programs, Processed Products Branch Room 0709-S, Stop Code 0247 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, DC 20250-0247 Phone: 202-720-4693 Fax: 202-690-1527

D. There is zero tolerance for peanut residue of any type in the finished product. No peanut products shall be near or around sunflower seeds used in the manufacture of this product. Machinery used for the manufacture of peanut butter shall not be used to produce sunflower seed butter.

Section 1.2 WARRANTY The product shall have a shelf life of at least one year from date of manufacturer.

Product shall not be manufactured more than 60 days prior to shipping.

SSB3 Page 2 http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/getfile?dDocName=STELDEV3011890

Section 1.3 “KOSHER ONLY” PRODUCTS “Kosher Only” products will be identified in the solicitation. Kosher only products shall comply with applicable dietary (kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of Kashruth.” Manufacturing plants shall be certified for compliance with the aforementioned requirement by contacting the Board of Jewish Education of Greater New York (BJENY) at 646-472-5365. A rabbinic supervisor will be sent to certify compliance of the manufacturing plant with the dietary (kosher) laws.

Offeror shall certify that their manufacturing plant is capable of meeting applicable dietary (kosher) laws as established by the “613 Council of Kashruth” and certification by BJENY.

Section 1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE A. The contractor shall perform the product testing and quality analysis to ensure that the product meets the commodity specifications. The results shall be evidenced by a Certificate of Analysis (COA).

B. Contractors shall notify the Government immediately of lots that fail to meet contract requirements.

Part 2 CONTAINER AND PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS

Section 2.1 GENERAL This part provides the container specifications and packaging materials requirements used under this contract.

Section 2.2 COMMERCIAL PACKAGING REQUIREMENTS A. Contractors shall supply commercial brand products only and shall certify at the time of submission of an offer that the commercial product being delivered has a history of successful distribution and use in domestic commercial channels and is sold on the commercial market with an established level of consumer acceptance.

B. Container and packaging requirements are those used in the current commercial shipping practices and shall comply with:

(1) Unitization requirements in Section 2.4.

(2) At contractor’s option, a statement such as “Not for Retail Sale” may be printed on the principal display panel of the food label.

(3) The manufacturer’s lot code/lot identification number shall be shown on the commercial bill of lading.

(4) Shipping containers shall be marked to show the maximum safe stacking height. It is the responsibility of the contractor in cooperation with the shipping container manufacturers to determine the safe stacking height.

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(5) For identification upon receipt at delivery warehouses, all commercial-labeled product shipping documents shall specify “FOR USDA FOOD

DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS.”

Section 2.3 CONTAINERS AND MATERIALS A. All containers and packaging shall be constructed to meet the requirements of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for safe contact with the packaged product. The contractor shall obtain and maintain documentation from the container or packaging material manufacturer to verify that the containers and packaging materials used in this contract were in compliance with the Government’s regulatory requirements for safe contact with food products as required in the Master Solicitation, Part 3, Section A, Number 3.

B. Questions concerning the containers and materials should be directed to:

USDA/FSA/DACO

Room 5755 – South Bldg, STOP 0551 1400 Independence Avenue SW Washington, DC 20250-0551 ATTN: Packaging

C. If the contractor purchases packaging and container ingredients from a foreign country and/or the package and container is manufactured in a foreign country, the package and container SHALL NOT display country of origin labeling. Phrases similar to but not inclusive of, “Made in [Name of Foreign Country.]” or “Product of [Name of Foreign Country.]” are strictly prohibited.

Section 2.4 UNITIZATION REQUIREMENTS Shipments shall comply with the following unitization requirements:

A. Unless otherwise specified by the Government, all shipments of packaged products shall be unitized (palletized and stretch wrapped).

B. Pallets shall be:

(1) Constructed to facilitate the safe handling and transportation of the packaged product, as a unit, without loss or damage.

(2) A Number 2, four-way, reversible flush stringer with no broken runners or slats.

(3) Suitable for use in the shipment of food products.

C. Plastic stretch wrap shall be:

(1) Constructed of a plastic film which is to be stretched a minimum of 50 percent beyond its original length when stretched around the pallet load.

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(2) Applied as tightly as possible around all tiers of the palletized shipping containers. The shipping containers shall be held firmly in place by the stretch wrap.

D. Pallet loads shall be:

(1) Stacked in such a way as to minimize the amount that shipping containers overhang the edges of pallets.

(2) Blocked and braced or otherwise loaded into the conveyance in a manner that prevents shifting during transit.

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