French Dressing ‘Condi-nundrum’: FDA Revokes Salad Sauce Identity

ACROSS AMERICA — A decision Wednesday by the Food and Drug Administration stripping French dressing of its identity solves a big, ahem, "condi-nundrum" for the nation’s unofficial salad dressing czars.

They’re the folks at the Association for Dressings and Sauces, who have been fighting a mostly invisible war over French dressing with the Food and Drug Administration since 1998. Truth in labeling was at stake.

Here’s why:

Under the old standards, in place since 1950, the condiment could be labeled as French dressing if it contained oil, acidifying and seasoning ingredients. But people expect their French dressing to contain tomatoes — or at least tomato derivatives — and while the old standards allowed those ingredients, they didn’t require them.

The Association for Dressings and Sauces argues the “nonstandard pourable dressing” industry has seen an explosion in consumer demand for condiments ranging from ubiquitous ranch and Italians to cheese, fruit, peppercorn, vinaigrettes and other flavored dressings.

French dressing, the group said, “no longer serves as a benchmark for other dressings because of the wide variation in composition to meet consumer demand.”

The FDA said in its final rule on the matter posted Wednesday that “the standard of identity for French dressing no longer promotes honesty and fair dealing in the interest of consumers.”

Removing it, the agency said, would give manufacturers “greater flexibility” and enhance innovation.

The French dressing declassification takes effect on Valentine’s Day.

The rule change is under the radar of many Americans. Only 20 people had something to say in the public comment period.

“One comment said that the standard of identity for French dressing was ‘unnecessary red tape,’ ” the FDA noted.

Now, French dressing makers can put whatever they want in their product, as long as the ingredients are safe to consume, without having to worry about government regulators.

It means companies such as Midwest-based Mullen’s will no longer have to tiptoe around FDA identity standards. It calls its French dressing “imitation” because it contains about half the oil and fat previously required by the agency.

“For many decades J.D. Mullen marketed this delicious dressing Americans have loved, no matter what is was called,” the company said on its website. “In order to meet state and federal law requirements, we chose to change the name rather than add more oil to the original recipe. You'll find this delightful pouring type dressing light and delicious.”

The wave of modernization in standards for American staples also has included frozen cherry pies. The FDA revoked the standard requiring that at least a quarter of the pie’s weight be fruit, and that no more than 15 percent of that could include blemished cherries. The rule also prohibited artificial sweeteners.

Scott Gottlieb, the FDA chief at the time, tweeted: “The American people are free add extra fruit, sugar, and make the crust especially thick.”