FDA deregulates French dressing

Jan. 12 (UPI) -- The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday said it is deregulating French dressing for the first time in seven decades.

The federal agency said it revoked the so-called standard of identity for the dressing in response to a petition from the Association for Dressings and Sauces.

Standards of identity detail what ingredients can go into certain food products and how they're made. This prevents the adulteration and misbranding of products.

The Association for Dressings and Sauces said the standards set in place for French dressing since the 1950s are "outdated." They include oil, acidifying and seasoning ingredients, along with other "suitable" ingredients.

But the Association for Dressings and Sauces said the FDA standards don't require ingredients that consumers have grown to expect in French dressing, such as tomatoes or tomato-derived products.

The FDA said that by revoking the standard of identity, it "will allow for greater innovation and more flexibility of products on the market."

"The FDA continues to modernize food standards to maintain the basic nature and essential characteristics of products, while allowing industry flexibility for innovation to produce more healthful foods, and meeting consumer expectations," the agency said in a statement. "The FDA believes it is important to take a fresh look at existing standards of identity in light of marketing and consumer trends and the latest nutritional science."