UNITED STATES

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549


                                  SCHEDULE 13G


                    Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                               (Amendment No. 2)*



                           OPTA FOOD INGREDIENTS, INC.
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                                (Name of Issuer)

                     Common Stock, $.01 par value per share
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                         (Title of Class of Securities)

                                    68381N105
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                                 (CUSIP Numbr)

                                December 31, 1999
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             (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement)

Check    the  appropriate  box to  designate  the rule  pursuant  to which  this
Schedule 13G is filed:

               [ ] Rule  13d-1(b)
               [X] Rule  13d-1(c)
               [ ] Rule  13d-1(d)

*The  remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting  person's
initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class of securities, and
for any  subsequent  amendment  containing  information  which  would  alter the
disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed
to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of
1934 ("Act") or otherwise  subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act
but  shall be  subject  to all other  provisions  of the Act  (however,  see the
Notes).









CUSIP NO. 68381N105
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(1)  Names of Reporting Persons.  I.R.S. Identification  Nos. Of  Above  Persons
     (entities only):  David A. Rocker
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(2)     Check the Appropriate Box if a Member of a Group (See Instructions)
        (a)                             (b)
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(3)     SEC Use Only
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(4)     Citizenship or Place of Organization:  United States
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Number of Shares Beneficially Owned by        (5) Sole Voting
     Each Reporting Person:                         Power:            1,080,900*
                                              (6) Shared Voting
                                                    Power:
                                              (7) Sole Dispositive
                                                    Power:            1,080,900*
                                              (8) Shared Dispositive
                                                    Power:
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(9)  Aggregate Amount Beneficially Owned by Each Reporting Person: 1,080,900*
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(10) Check if the Aggregate Amount in Row (9) Excludes Certain Shares (See
Instructions): N/A
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(11)    Percent of Class Represented by Amount in Row (9): 9.9%*
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(12)     Type of Reporting Person (See Instructions):  IN
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* Amount  includes:  (i) 791,020 shares of Opta Food  Ingredients,  Inc.  common
stock,  $.01 par value per share (the "Common Stock"), owned by Rocker Partners,
L.P., a New York limited  partnership;  and (ii) 289,880  shares of Common Stock
owned by Compass Holdings, Ltd., a corporation organized under the International
Business Companies Ordinance of the British Virgin Islands.  David A. Rocker has
sole voting and dispositive  power over the aggregate amount of 1,080,900 shares
of Common  Stock by  virtue of his  respective  positions  as the sole  managing
partner  of Rocker  Partners,  L.P.  and as the  president  of  Rocker  Offshore
Management Company, Inc., the investment advisor to Compass Holdings, Ltd.






Item 1(a).  Name Of Issuer:  Opta Food Ingredients, Inc.
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Item 1(b).  Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:  25 Wiggins Avenue,
Bedford, MA  01730
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Item 2(a).  Name of Person Filing:  David A. Rocker
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Item 2(b).  Address of Principal Business Office or, if None, Residence: c/o
Rocker Partners, L.P., Suite 1759, 45 Rockefeller Plaza, New York, New York
10111
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Item 2(c).  Citizenship:  United States
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Item 2(d).  Title of Class of Securities: Common Stock, $.01 par value per share
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Item 2(e).  CUSIP No.:  68381N105
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Item     3. If  this  statement  is  filed  pursuant  to  ss.ss.240.13d-1(b)  or
         240.13d-2(b) or (c), check whether the person filing is a:

         (a) [ ] Broker or dealer registered under Section 15 of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78o);

         (b) [ ] Bank as defined in Section 3(a)(6) of the Act (15 U.S.C. 78c);

         (c) [ ] Insurance company as defined in Section 3(a)(19) of the Act
(15 U.S.C. 78c);

         (d) [ ] Investment company registered under Section 8 of the Investment
Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. 80a-8);

         (e) [ ] An investment adviser in accordance with ss.240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)
(E);

         (f) [ ] An employee  benefit plan or endowment fund in accordance  with
ss.240.13d- 1(b)(1)(ii)(F);



         (g) [ ] A parent holding  company or control person in accordance  with
ss.240.13d- 1(b)(1)(ii)(G);

         (h) [ ] A  savings  associations  as  defined  in  Section  3(b) of the
Federal Deposit Insurance Act (12 U.S.C. 1813);

         (i) [ ] A  church  plan  that is  excluded  from the  definition  of an
investment  company under Section 3(c)(14) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
(15 U.S.C. 80a-3);

         (j) [ ] Group, in accordance with ss.240.13d-1(b)(1)(ii)(J).


Item 4.  Ownership

         (a)   Amount Beneficially Owned (as of December 31, 1999):   1,080,900

         (b)   Percent of Class (as of December 31, 1999):   9.9%

         (c)   Number of Shares as to which such person has:

               (i)  sole power to vote or to direct the vote         1,080,900

               (ii) shared power to vote or to direct the vote               0

              (iii) sole power to  dispose or to direct the  disposition  of
1,080,900

               (iv) shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of  0


Item 5.  Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class.

         If this statement is being filed to report the fact that as of the date
hereof the reporting  person has ceased to be the beneficial  owner of more than
five percent of the class of securities, check the following |_|.


Item 6.  Ownership of More Than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person.  N/A


Item 7.  Identification  and  Classification  of the Subsidiary  Which Acquired
         the Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company.  N/A


Item 8.  Identification and Classification of Members of the Group.  N/A


Item 9.  Notice of Dissolution of Group.  N/A






Item 10.  Certification

By signing below I certify  that,  to the best of my knowledge  and belief,  the
securities  referred to above were not acquired and are not held for the purpose
of or with the effect of  changing or  influencing  the control of the issuer of
such  securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as
a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect.

                                    SIGNATURE

After  reasonable  inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify
that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete and correct.




                                                     February 10, 2000
                                                         (Date)

                                                     /s/David A. Rocker
                                                     ------------------
                                                     David A. Rocker




      Attention: Intentional misstatements or omissions of fact constitute
                Federal criminal violations (See 18 U.S.C. 1001)