A-A-20204 Pasta With Vegetables In Tomato Sauce, Kosher And Halal, ThermostabilizedThis Commercial Item Description (CID) covers thermostabilized, kosher certified and halal approved, pasta with vegetables in tomato sauce, packed in flexible pouches, suitable for use by the Federal Government and as a component of the Meal, Ready-to-Eat, Individual.

Pages 1 - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - 7 - 8 - 9

A-A-20204

2.2.1 Pasta. The pasta (enriched) shall be a small spiral shape. The pasta shall be the type suitable for thermoprocessing.

2.2.2 Vegetables. The vegetables shall consist of carrots, corn, cut green beans, peas, celery, sweet red peppers, diced tomatoes, sliced mushrooms, and onions.

2.2.3 Tomato sauce. The tomato sauce shall contain crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes, or a combination thereof, typical Italian herbs, spices and seasonings, and may also include tomato paste, tomato sauce, tomato puree, or a combination thereof, vegetable oil, sugar, salt, and thickeners.

2.3 Finished product. The finished product shall be a uniform mixture of pasta with vegetables, and a mild Italian flavored tomato sauce. The product shall show no evidence of excessive heating (materially darkened or scorched).

2.3.1 Appearance. The sauce shall have a red to reddish brown color with recognizable crushed tomato pieces and may contain visible flecks of herbs and spices. The pasta and vegetables shall be intact pieces with a characteristic color. There shall be no foreign color to the product.

2.3.2 Odor and flavor. The sauce shall have a balanced blend of Italian seasonings with no excess bitterness or acidity. The pasta and vegetables shall have a characteristic odor and flavor with no evidence of oxidation. There shall be no foreign odors  or flavors such as, but not limited to, burnt, scorched, moldy, rancid, sour, or stale.

2.3.3 Texture. The texture of the sauce shall be moderately thick and not excessively thin, thick, or pasty. The pasta shall be characteristic spiral intact pieces. The texture of the pasta shall be soft, not mushy, hard, or pasty. The vegetables shall be firm, not hard, fibrous, mushy, or tough.

2.3.4 Foreign material. There shall be no evidence of rodents and no foreign material such as, but not limited to, dirt, insect parts, hair, wood, or metal.

2.3.5 Net and drained weight. The net weight of an individual pouch shall be not less than 7.5 ounces (212.6 g). No individual pouch shall contain less than 3.0 ounces (85.1 g) drained weight of vegetables. No individual pouch shall contain less than 2.5 ounces (70.9 g) or more than 3.0 ounces (85.1 g) drained weight of pasta.

2.3.6 Fat and salt content. The salt content of an individual pouch shall be not less than 0.5 percent or greater than 1.5 percent. The fat content of an individual pouch shall be not more than 2.0 percent.