Virginia Law

A. Water ices are the foods, each of which is prepared by freezing, while stirring, a mix composed of one or more of the optional characterizing fruit ingredients specified in subsection B of this section, sweetened with one or more of the optional sweetening ingredients specified in subsection C of this section. One or more of the optional ingredients specified in subsection D of this section may be used, subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth. The titratable acidity of the finished water ice, calculated as lactic acid, is not less than 0.35%. The mix, with or without added water, may be seasoned with salt, and may be homogenized. The finished water ice weighs not less than six pounds to the gallon.

B. The optional fruit ingredients referred to in subsection A of this section are any mature fruit or the juice of any mature fruit. The fruit or fruit juice used may be fresh, frozen, canned, concentrated, or partially or wholly dried. The fruit may be thickened with pectin or other of the optional ingredients named in subdivision 1 of subsection D of this section subject to the restriction on the total quantity of such substances in water ices prescribed in that subdivision. The fruit is prepared by the removal of pits, seeds, skins, and cores where such removal is usual in preparing that kind of fruit for consumption as fresh fruit. The fruit may be screened, crushed, or otherwise communited. It may be acidulated with citric acid, ascorbic acid, or phosphoric acid. In the case of fruit or fruit juices from which part of the water is removed, substances contributing flavor volatilized during water removal may be condensed and reincorporated in the concentrated fruit or fruit juice. In the case of citrus fruits, the whole fruit, including the peel but excluding the seeds, may be used, and in the case of citrus juice or concentrated citrus juices, cold-pressed citrus oil may be added thereto in an amount not exceeding that which would have been obtained if the whole fruit had been used. The quantity of fruit ingredients used is such that in relation to the weight of the finished water ice, the weight of fruit or fruit juice as the case may be, including water necessary to reconstitute partially or wholly dried fruits or fruit juices to their original moisture content, is not less than 2.0% in the case of citrus ices, 6.0% in the case of berry ices, and 10% in the case of ices prepared with other fruits.

C. The optional sweetening ingredients referred to in subsection A of this section are: Sugar (sucrose), dextrose, invert sugar (paste or sirup), glucose sirup, dried glucose sirup, corn sirup, dried corn sirup, malt sirup, malt extract, dried malt sirup, dried malt extract, maltose sirup, dried maltose sirup.

D. Other optional ingredients referred to in subsection A of this section are:

1. a. Agar-agar, algin (sodium alginate), egg white, gelatin, gum acacia, guar seed gum, gum karaya, locust bean gum, oat gum, gum tragacanth, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, carrageenan, salts of carrageenan, furcelleran, salts of furcelleran, propylene glycol alginate, pectin, psyllium seed husk, sodium carboxymethylcellulose. The total weight of the solids of any such ingredient used singly, or of any combination of two or more such ingredients used, including any such ingredient added separately to the fruit ingredient, is not more than 0.5% of the weight of the finished water ice. Such ingredients may be added in admixture with dextrin, propylene glycol, or glycerin.

b. When one or more of the optional thickening ingredients in subdivision a of this subdivision are used, dioctyl sodium sulfosuccinate may be used in a quantity not in excess of 0.5% of weight of such ingredients.

2. Citric acid, tartaric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, ascorbic acid, phosphoric acid, or any combination of two or more of these in such quantity as seasons the finished food.

3. Any natural flavoring.

4. Any artificial flavoring.

5. Coloring, including artificial coloring.

E. The name of each such water ice is "__________ ice," the blank being filled with the common name of the fruit or fruits from which the fruit ingredient used is obtained. When the names of two or more fruits are included such names shall appear in the order of predominance, if any, by weight of the respective fruit ingredients used.

F. When the optional ingredients artificial coloring and artificial flavoring are used in water ices they shall be named on the labels as follows:

1. The label shall designate artificial flavoring by the statement "artificially flavored," "artificial flavoring added," "with added artificial flavoring," or "__________, an artificial flavor added," the blank being filled in with the name of the artificial flavoring used.

Label statements may be combined, as for example, "flavoring and artificial coloring added."

G. Where one or more of the optional ingredients artificial coloring or artificial flavoring are used and there appears on the labeling any representation as to the fruit or fruits in the ice, such representation shall be immediately and conspicuously accompanied by appropriate label statements as prescribed in subsection F of this section, showing the optional ingredients used.

H. Wherever the name of the food appears on the label so conspicuously as to be easily seen under customary conditions of purchase, the statements set out in this section showing the optional ingredients used shall immediately and conspicuously precede or follow such name, without intervening written, printed, or graphic matter.

I. Water ice mix is the unfrozen combination of ingredients that when frozen while stirring will produce a product conforming to the definition of water ice.