Draft Frozen Pancakes CRD, March 2025

The Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) has issued a Special Notice regarding the revision of the Commodity Requirements Document (CRD) for Frozen Pancakes, set to be effective in March 2025. The notice specifically addresses updates to the nutritional standards for frozen pancakes used in domestic food distribution programs. The primary focus of the revision is to ensure that non-whole grains in the pancakes are enriched to meet school lunch daily grain requirements and to limit added sugars to no more than three grams per serving. The notice was posted on March 20, 2025, with comments and questions to be submitted to Andrew Greenfield by March 24, 2025. This update is part of the ongoing efforts to improve the nutritional quality of food products distributed through government programs.

The objective of this Special Notice is to provide detailed specifications for frozen whole wheat pancakes that will be used in domestic food distribution initiatives. Contractors must supply commercially branded products with a proven distribution history, and the pancakes must meet strict nutritional and quality standards. Key requirements include using whole grain as the first ingredient, containing at least 50% whole grain content, and maintaining specific nutritional parameters such as no more than 130 mg of sodium and 3 g of added sugars per serving. The pancakes must be Individually Quick Frozen (IQF), round, 4 inches in diameter, and heat-and-serve style, maintained at 0 degrees Fahrenheit or lower during storage and transportation. Contractors are required to perform product testing, maintain a Certificate of Analysis for seven years, and immediately notify the government of any lots failing to meet contract requirements. The product must have a shelf life of at least one year and not be manufactured more than 60 days prior to shipping. While there is no specific set-aside mentioned, contractors in the Frozen Specialty Food Manufacturing category (NAICS 311412) are likely to be interested in this opportunity.