FDA Drops Regulations For French Dressing

After more than 70 years of regulation, the federal government has decided that French dressing no longer needs to be regulated. The FDA stated: “When the standard of identity was established in 1950, French dressing was one of three types of dressings we identified.” According to the FDA, French dressing was the only pourable dressing required to adhere to standards that require it to contain oil, acidifying ingredients, and seasoning. Other foods, including bread, jam, and juices, have their own standards of identity.

Back in 1998, Association for Dressing and Sauces started a petition for the standards of French dressing to be revoked. They credited the explosion in varieties of salad dressings available such as ranch, cheese, peppercorn, and Italian. The Association for Dressing and Sauces stated that French dressing is no longer a baseline for other dressings and should have the same regulations as every other dressing.

Source: NPR