(a) Description.

(1) White chocolate is the solid or semiplastic food prepared by intimately mixing and grinding cacao fat with one or more of the optional dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section and one or more optional nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners and may contain one or more of the other optional ingredients specified in paragraph (b) of this section. White chocolate shall be free of coloring material.

(2) White chocolate contains not less than 20 percent by weight of cacao fat as calculated by subtracting from the weight of the total fat the weight of the milkfat, dividing the result by the weight of the finished white chocolate, and multiplying the quotient by 100. The finished white chocolate contains not less than 3.5 percent by weight of milkfat and not less than 14 percent by weight of total milk solids, calculated by using only those dairy ingredients specified in paragraph (b)(2) of this section, and not more than 55 percent by weight nutritive carbohydrate sweetener.

(b) Optional ingredients. The following safe and suitable ingredients may be used:

(1) Nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners;

(2) Dairy ingredients:

(i) Cream, milkfat, butter;

(ii) Milk, dry whole milk, concentrated milk, evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk;

(iii) Skim milk, concentrated skim milk, evaporated skim milk, sweetened condensed skim milk, nonfat dry milk;

(iv) Concentrated buttermilk, dried buttermilk; and

(v) Malted milk;

(3) Emulsifying agents, used singly or in combination, the total amount of which does not exceed 1.5 percent by weight;

(4) Spices, natural and artificial flavorings, ground whole nut meats, ground coffee, dried malted cereal extract, salt, and other seasonings that do not either singly or in combination impart a flavor that imitates the flavor of chocolate, milk, or butter;

(5) Antioxidants; and

(6) Whey or whey products, the total amount of which does not exceed 5 percent by weight.

(c) Nomenclature. The name of the food is “white chocolate” or “white chocolate coating.” When one or more of the spices, flavorings, or seasonings specified in paragraph (b)(4) of this section are used, the label shall bear an appropriate statement, e.g., “Spice added”, “Flavored with ___ ”, or “With ___ added”, the blank being filled in with the common or usual name of the spice, flavoring, or seasoning used, in accordance with §101.22 of this chapter.

(d) Label declaration. Each of the ingredients used in the food shall be declared on the label as required by the applicable sections of parts 101 and 130 of this chapter.

[67 FR 62177, Oct. 4, 2002]