Sec. 525.400 Hollandaise Sauce - Common or Usual Name (CPG 7109.11)
BACKGROUND:
Traditionally hollandaise sauce has been made with butter and other ingredients, but in
recent years there has been substantial change in consumer use and acceptance of
margarine, *light butter, cream or sour cream* as an alternative or supplementary
ingredient for butter. A review of the more commonly used cook books shows that many
modern recipes for hollandaise sauce call for use of either butter or margarine *(light
butter, cream or sour cream are also acceptable).* Egg yolk is the customary emulsifying
ingredient in hollandaise sauce. We have consistently expressed the opinion that starch is
not an appropriate ingredient.
POLICY:
In the absence of a standard of identity, "hollandaise sauce" has been
considered to be the common or usual name for an emulsion of butter, egg yolk, acidifying
ingredients such as lemon juice or vinegar, and seasoning such as salt and pepper.
In view of the fact that *consumers* commonly substitute margarine for butter and the
fact that many modern recipes for hollandaise sauce provide for use of either butter or
margarine, the Food and Drug Administration will not object to the use of margarine as the
fat ingredient of hollandaise sauce with appropriate label declaration. *Neither will FDA
object to the use of light butter, cream or sour cream to make a light version.*
Egg yolk is the customary emulsifying ingredient in hollandaise sauce. Starch is not an
acceptable ingredient.
Labels for hollandaise sauce must bear a listing of all ingredients in accordance with Section 403(i)(2) of the Act. If margarine, *light butter, cream or sour cream* is used, it should be declared as such in proper order of predominance in the list of ingredients following in parenthesis by a listing of the ingredients in the specific margarine *or other "fat" ingredient* used.
*Material between asterisks is new or revised.*
Issued: 10/1/80
Revised: 3/95