[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 2]
[Revised as of April 1, 2006]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 21CFR101.22]
[Page 72-76]
TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS
CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN
SERVICES (CONTINUED)
PART 101_FOOD LABELING--Table of Contents
Subpart B_Specific Food Labeling Requirements
Sec. 101.22 Foods; labeling of spices, flavorings, colorings and
chemical preservatives.
(a)(1) The term artificial flavor or artificial flavoring means any
substance, the function of which is to impart flavor, which is not
derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice, vegetable or vegetable
juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf or similar plant
material, meat, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, or fermentation
products thereof. Artificial flavor includes the substances listed in
Sec. Sec. 172.515(b) and 182.60 of this chapter except where these are
derived from natural sources.
(2) The term spice means any aromatic vegetable substance in the
whole, broken, or ground form, except for those substances which have
been traditionally regarded as foods, such as onions, garlic and celery;
whose significant function in food is seasoning rather than nutritional;
that is true to name; and from which no portion of any volatile oil or
other flavoring principle has been removed. Spices include the spices
listed in Sec. 182.10 and part 184 of this chapter, such as the
following:
Allspice, Anise, Basil, Bay leaves, Caraway seed, Cardamon, Celery seed,
Chervil, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Cumin seed, Dill seed, Fennel
seed, Fenugreek, Ginger, Horseradish, Mace, Marjoram, Mustard flour,
Nutmeg, Oregano, Paprika, Parsley, Pepper, black; Pepper, white; Pepper,
red; Rosemary, Saffron, Sage, Savory, Star aniseed, Tarragon, Thyme,
Turmeric.
Paprika, turmeric, and saffron or other spices which are also colors,
shall be declared as ``spice and coloring'' unless declared by their
common or usual name.
(3) The term natural flavor or natural flavoring means the essential
oil, oleoresin, essence or extractive, protein hydrolysate, distillate,
or any product of roasting, heating or enzymolysis, which contains the
flavoring constituents derived from a spice, fruit or fruit juice,
vegetable or vegetable juice, edible yeast, herb, bark, bud, root, leaf
or similar plant material, meat, seafood, poultry, eggs, dairy products,
or fermentation products thereof, whose significant function in food is
flavoring rather than nutritional. Natural flavors include the natural
essence or extractives obtained from plants listed in Sec. Sec. 182.10,
182.20, 182.40, and 182.50 and part 184 of this chapter, and the
substances listed in Sec. 172.510 of this chapter.
(4) The term artificial color or artificial coloring means any
``color additive'' as defined in Sec. 70.3(f) of this chapter.
(5) The term chemical preservative means any chemical that, when
added to food, tends to prevent or retard deterioration thereof, but
does not include common salt, sugars, vinegars, spices, or oils
extracted from spices, substances added to food by direct exposure
thereof to wood smoke, or chemicals applied for their insecticidal or
herbicidal properties.
(b) A food which is subject to the requirements of section 403(k) of
the act shall bear labeling, even though such food is not in package
form.
(c) A statement of artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, or
chemical preservative shall be placed on the food or on its container or
wrapper, or on any two or all three of these, as may be necessary to
render such statement likely to be read by the ordinary person under
customary conditions of purchase and use of such food. The specific
[[Page 73]]
artificial color used in a food shall be identified on the labeling when
so required by regulation in part 74 of this chapter to assure safe
conditions of use for the color additive.
(d) A food shall be exempt from compliance with the requirements of
section 403(k) of the act if it is not in package form and the units
thereof are so small that a statement of artificial flavoring,
artificial coloring, or chemical preservative, as the case may be,
cannot be placed on such units with such conspicuousness as to render it
likely to be read by the ordinary individual under customary conditions
of purchase and use.
(e) A food shall be exempt while held for sale from the requirements
of section 403(k) of the act (requiring label statement of any
artificial flavoring, artificial coloring, or chemical preservatives) if
said food, having been received in bulk containers at a retail
establishment, is displayed to the purchaser with either (1) the
labeling of the bulk container plainly in view or (2) a counter card,
sign, or other appropriate device bearing prominently and conspicuously
the information required to be stated on the label pursuant to section
403(k).
(f) A fruit or vegetable shall be exempt from compliance with the
requirements of section 403(k) of the act with respect to a chemical
preservative applied to the fruit or vegetable as a pesticide chemical
prior to harvest.
(g) A flavor shall be labeled in the following way when shipped to a
food manufacturer or processor (but not a consumer) for use in the
manufacture of a fabricated food, unless it is a flavor for which a
standard of identity has been promulgated, in which case it shall be
labeled as provided in the standard:
(1) If the flavor consists of one ingredient, it shall be declared
by its common or usual name.
(2) If the flavor consists of two or more ingredients, the label
either may declare each ingredient by its common or usual name or may
state ``All flavor ingredients contained in this product are approved
for use in a regulation of the Food and Drug Administration.'' Any
flavor ingredient not contained in one of these regulations, and any
nonflavor ingredient, shall be separately listed on the label.
(3) In cases where the flavor contains a solely natural flavor(s),
the flavor shall be so labeled, e.g., ``strawberry flavor'', ``banana
flavor'', or ``natural strawberry flavor''. In cases where the flavor
contains both a natural flavor and an artificial flavor, the flavor
shall be so labeled, e.g., ``natural and artificial strawberry flavor''.
In cases where the flavor contains a solely artificial flavor(s), the
flavor shall be so labeled, e.g., ``artificial strawberry flavor''.
(h) The label of a food to which flavor is added shall declare the
flavor in the statement of ingredients in the following way:
(1) Spice, natural flavor, and artificial flavor may be declared as
``spice'', ``natural flavor'', or ``artificial flavor'', or any
combination thereof, as the case may be.
(2) An incidental additive in a food, originating in a spice or
flavor used in the manufacture of the food, need not be declared in the
statement of ingredients if it meets the requirements of Sec.
101.100(a)(3).
(3) Substances obtained by cutting, grinding, drying, pulping, or
similar processing of tissues derived from fruit, vegetable, meat, fish,
or poultry, e.g., powdered or granulated onions, garlic powder, and
celery powder, are commonly understood by consumers to be food rather
than flavor and shall be declared by their common or usual name.
(4) Any salt (sodium chloride) used as an ingredient in food shall
be declared by its common or usual name ``salt.''
(5) Any monosodium glutamate used as an ingredient in food shall be
declared by its common or usual name ``monosodium glutamate.''
(6) Any pyroligneous acid or other artificial smoke flavors used as
an ingredient in a food may be declared as artificial flavor or
artificial smoke flavor. No representation may be made, either directly
or implied, that a food flavored with pyroligneous acid or other
artificial smoke flavor has been smoked or has a true smoked flavor, or
that a seasoning sauce or similar product containing pyroligneous acid
or other artificial smoke flavor and used
[[Page 74]]
to season or flavor other foods will result in a smoked product or one
having a true smoked flavor.
(7) Because protein hydrolysates function in foods as both
flavorings and flavor enhancers, no protein hydrolysate used in food for
its effects on flavor may be declared simply as ``flavor,'' ``natural
flavor,'' or ``flavoring.'' The ingredient shall be declared by its
specific common or usual name as provided in Sec. 102.22 of this
chapter.
(i) If the label, labeling, or advertising of a food makes any
direct or indirect representations with respect to the primary
recognizable flavor(s), by word, vignette, e.g., depiction of a fruit,
or other means, or if for any other reason the manufacturer or
distributor of a food wishes to designate the type of flavor in the food
other than through the statement of ingredients, such flavor shall be
considered the characterizing flavor and shall be declared in the
following way:
(1) If the food contains no artificial flavor which simulates,
resembles or reinforces the characterizing flavor, the name of the food
on the principal display panel or panels of the label shall be
accompanied by the common or usual name of the characterizing flavor,
e.g., ``vanilla'', in letters not less than one-half the height of the
letters used in the name of the food, except that:
(i) If the food is one that is commonly expected to contain a
characterizing food ingredient, e.g., strawberries in ``strawberry
shortcake'', and the food contains natural flavor derived from such
ingredient and an amount of characterizing ingredient insufficient to
independently characterize the food, or the food contains no such
ingredient, the name of the characterizing flavor may be immediately
preceded by the word ``natural'' and shall be immediately followed by
the word ``flavored'' in letters not less than one-half the height of
the letters in the name of the characterizing flavor, e.g., ``natural
strawberry flavored shortcake,'' or ``strawberry flavored shortcake''.
(ii) If none of the natural flavor used in the food is derived from
the product whose flavor is simulated, the food in which the flavor is
used shall be labeled either with the flavor of the product from which
the flavor is derived or as ``artificially flavored.''
(iii) If the food contains both a characterizing flavor from the
product whose flavor is simulated and other natural flavor which
simulates, resembles or reinforces the characterizing flavor, the food
shall be labeled in accordance with the introductory text and paragraph
(i)(1)(i) of this section and the name of the food shall be immediately
followed by the words ``with other natural flavor'' in letters not less
than one-half the height of the letters used in the name of the
characterizing flavor.
(2) If the food contains any artificial flavor which simulates,
resembles or reinforces the characterizing flavor, the name of the food
on the principal display panel or panels of the label shall be
accompanied by the common or usual name(s) of the characterizing flavor,
in letters not less than one-half the height of the letters used in the
name of the food and the name of the characterizing flavor shall be
accompanied by the word(s) ``artificial'' or ``artificially flavored'',
in letters not less than one-half the height of the letters in the name
of the characterizing flavor, e.g., ``artificial vanilla'',
``artificially flavored strawberry'', or ``grape artificially
flavored''.
(3) Wherever the name of the characterizing flavor appears on the
label (other than in the statement of ingredients) so conspicuously as
to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the words
prescribed by this paragraph shall immediately and conspicuously precede
or follow such name, without any intervening written, printed, or
graphic matter, except:
(i) Where the characterizing flavor and a trademark or brand are
presented together, other written, printed, or graphic matter that is a
part of or is associated with the trademark or brand may intervene if
the required words are in such relationship with the trademark or brand
as to be clearly related to the characterizing flavor; and
(ii) If the finished product contains more than one flavor subject
to the requirements of this paragraph, the statements required by this
paragraph need appear only once in each statement of characterizing
flavors present
[[Page 75]]
in such food, e.g., ``artificially flavored vanilla and strawberry''.
(iii) If the finished product contains three or more distinguishable
characterizing flavors, or a blend of flavors with no primary
recognizable flavor, the flavor may be declared by an appropriately
descriptive generic term in lieu of naming each flavor, e.g.,
``artificially flavored fruit punch''.
(4) A flavor supplier shall certify, in writing, that any flavor he
supplies which is designated as containing no artificial flavor does
not, to the best of his knowledge and belief, contain any artificial
flavor, and that he has added no artificial flavor to it. The
requirement for such certification may be satisfied by a guarantee under
section 303(c)(2) of the act which contains such a specific statement. A
flavor user shall be required to make such a written certification only
where he adds to or combines another flavor with a flavor which has been
certified by a flavor supplier as containing no artificial flavor, but
otherwise such user may rely upon the supplier's certification and need
make no separate certification. All such certifications shall be
retained by the certifying party throughout the period in which the
flavor is supplied and for a minimum of three years thereafter, and
shall be subject to the following conditions:
(i) The certifying party shall make such certifications available
upon request at all reasonable hours to any duly authorized office or
employee of the Food and Drug Administration or any other employee
acting on behalf of the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Such
certifications are regarded by the Food and Drug Administration as
reports to the government and as guarantees or other undertakings within
the meaning of section 301(h) of the act and subject the certifying
party to the penalties for making any false report to the government
under 18 U.S.C. 1001 and any false guarantee or undertaking under
section 303(a) of the act. The defenses provided under section 303(c)(2)
of the act shall be applicable to the certifications provided for in
this section.
(ii) Wherever possible, the Food and Drug Administration shall
verify the accuracy of a reasonable number of certifications made
pursuant to this section, constituting a representative sample of such
certifications, and shall not request all such certifications.
(iii) Where no person authorized to provide such information is
reasonably available at the time of inspection, the certifying party
shall arrange to have such person and the relevant materials and records
ready for verification as soon as practicable: Provided, That, whenever
the Food and Drug Administration has reason to believe that the supplier
or user may utilize this period to alter inventories or records, such
additional time shall not be permitted. Where such additional time is
provided, the Food and Drug Administration may require the certifying
party to certify that relevant inventories have not been materially
disturbed and relevant records have not been altered or concealed during
such period.
(iv) The certifying party shall provide, to an officer or
representative duly designated by the Secretary, such qualitative
statement of the composition of the flavor or product covered by the
certification as may be reasonably expected to enable the Secretary's
representatives to determine which relevant raw and finished materials
and flavor ingredient records are reasonably necessary to verify the
certifications. The examination conducted by the Secretary's
representative shall be limited to inspection and review of inventories
and ingredient records for those certifications which are to be
verified.
(v) Review of flavor ingredient records shall be limited to the
qualitative formula and shall not include the quantitative formula. The
person verifying the certifications may make only such notes as are
necessary to enable him to verify such certification. Only such notes or
such flavor ingredient records as are necessary to verify such
certification or to show a potential or actual violation may be removed
or transmitted from the certifying party's place of business: Provided,
That, where such removal or transmittal is necessary for such purposes
the relevant records and notes shall be retained as separate documents
in Food and Drug Administration files, shall not be copied in other
[[Page 76]]
reports, and shall not be disclosed publicly other than in a judicial
proceeding brought pursuant to the act or 18 U.S.C. 1001.
(j) A food to which a chemical preservative(s) is added shall,
except when exempt pursuant to Sec. 101.100 bear a label declaration
stating both the common or usual name of the ingredient(s) and a
separate description of its function, e.g., ``preservative'', ``to
retard spoilage'', ``a mold inhibitor'', ``to help protect flavor'' or
``to promote color retention''.
(k) The label of a food to which any coloring has been added shall
declare the coloring in the statement of ingredients in the manner
specified in paragraphs (k)(1) and (k)(2) of this section, except that
colorings added to butter, cheese, and ice cream, if declared, may be
declared in the manner specified in paragraph (k)(3) of this section,
and colorings added to foods subject to Sec. Sec. 105.62 and 105.65 of
this chapter shall be declared in accordance with the requirements of
those sections.
(1) A color additive or the lake of a color additive subject to
certification under 721(c) of the act shall be declared by the name of
the color additive listed in the applicable regulation in part 74 or
part 82 of this chapter, except that it is not necessary to include the
``FD&C'' prefix or the term ``No.'' in the declaration, but the term
``Lake'' shall be included in the declaration of the lake of the
certified color additive (e.g., Blue 1 Lake). Manufacturers may
parenthetically declare an appropriate alternative name of the certified
color additive following its common or usual name as specified in part
74 or part 82 of this chapter.
(2) Color additives not subject to certification may be declared as
``Artificial Color,'' ``Artificial Color Added,'' or ``Color Added'' (or
by an equally informative term that makes clear that a color additive
has been used in the food). Alternatively, such color additives may be
declared as ``Colored with ------'' or ``------ color'', the blank to be
filled with the name of the color additive listed in the applicable
regulation in part 73 of this chapter.
(3) When a coloring has been added to butter, cheese, or ice cream,
it need not be declared in the ingredient list unless such declaration
is required by a regulation in part 73 or part 74 of this chapter to
ensure safe conditions of use for the color additive. Voluntary
declaration of all colorings added to butter, cheese, and ice cream,
however, is recommended.
[42 FR 14308, Mar. 15, 1977, as amended at 44 FR 3963, Jan. 19, 1979; 44
FR 37220, June 26, 1979; 54 FR 24891, June 12, 1989; 58 FR 2875, Jan. 6,
1993; 63 FR 14818, Mar. 27, 1998]
Additives that reference this regulation: |