(a) Description. Sour cream results from the souring, by lactic acid producing bacteria, of pasteurized cream. Sour cream contains not less than 18 percent milkfat; except that when the food is characterized by the addition of nutritive sweeteners or bulky flavoring ingredients, the weight of the milkfat is not less than 18 percent of the remainder obtained by subtracting the weight of such optional ingredients from the weight of the food; but in no case does the food contain less than 14.4 percent milkfat. Sour cream has a titratable acidity of not less than 0.5 percent, calculated as lactic acid.

(b) Optional ingredients. (1) Safe and suitable ingredients that improve texture, prevent syneresis, or extend the shelf life of the product.

(2) Sodium citrate in an amount not more than 0.1 percent may be added prior to culturing as a flavor precursor.

(3) Rennet.

(4) Safe and suitable nutritive sweeteners.

(5) Salt.

(6) Flavoring ingredients, with or without safe and suitable coloring, as follows:

(i) Fruit and fruit juice (including concentrated fruit and fruit juice).

(ii) Safe and suitable natural and artificial food flavoring.

(c) Methods of analysis. Referenced methods in paragraph (c) (1) and (2) of this section are from “Official Methods of Analysis of the Association of Official Analytical Chemists,” 13th Ed. (1980), which is incorporated by reference. Copies may be obtained from the AOAC INTERNATIONAL, 481 North Frederick Ave., suite 500, Gaithersburg, MD 20877, or may be examined at the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). For information on the availability of this material at NARA, call 202-741-6030, or go to: http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/code_of_federal_regulations/ibr_locations.html.

(1) Milkfat content - “Fat - Official Final Action,” section 16.172.

(2) Titratable acidity - “Acidity - Official Final Action,” section 16.023.

(d) Nomenclature. The name of the food is “Sour cream” or alternatively “Cultured sour cream”. The full name of the food shall appear on the principal display panel of the label in type of uniform size, style, and color. The name of the food shall be accompanied by a declaration indicating the presence of any flavoring that characterizes the product, as specified in § 101.22 of this chapter. If nutritive sweetener in an amount sufficient to characterize the food is added without addition of characterizing flavoring, the name of the food shall be preceded by the word “sweetened”.

(e) 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.