Wheat Flour and Bakery Flour Products CRD

The Department of Agriculture Agricultural Marketing Service issued a revision to its Commodity Requirements Specification for wheat flour and bakery flour products effective October 2026, prohibiting the use of potassium bromate across all materials, with a deadline of December 31, 2026.

The specification covers eleven flour product types supplied in various pack sizes—including all-purpose enriched bleached flour (8/5 lb. bags), 100% whole wheat flour (50 lb. bags), bakers hard wheat flour (bulk), bread flour (bulk), and high gluten flour (50 lb. bags)—for domestic USDA programs. All products must meet defined protein levels (8.70–14.50%), ash levels (0.50–1.90%), moisture (maximum 14.00%), and falling number units (250–350 for most products). Vomitoxin testing must not exceed 2 ppm in raw wheat and 1 ppm in finished product. Products must comply with Commercial Item Description A-A-20126H and FDA Food and Drug Standards of Identity for enrichment and bleaching. Contractors must supply commercial brand products with established distribution history, provide mill laboratory analysis and Certificate of Analysis at shipment, and maintain quality assurance records for a minimum of seven years. All products require one-year shelf life from manufacture date, with manufacturing occurring no more than 30 days before shipment. Bulk shipments must include official weight certificates. Packaging must follow current commercial shipping practices with maximum safe stacking height markings and comply with Master Invitation for Bids sections 4A52.211-3, 4A52.211-4, and 4A52.211-6.