Keeping an eye on emulsifiers

The David and Goliath story of plucky little Hampton Creek vs Big Egg and Big Mayo continues to entertain. I've written a follow up piece over at Eat This Podcast, the gist of which is that all the fuss about eggless mayonnaise is over an ingredient that is present in such small quantities that it isn't even declared on the label.

The best bit, though (which is why I am reposting here) is Hampton Creek's explanation of their position:

Meanwhile, Hampton Creek, maker of Just Mayo, is playing word games:

“The term ‘mayo’ should not now be held to the regulatory standard for ‘mayonnaise,’” wrote the company’s lawyer, Josh Schiller.

So yes, they’re guilty, bang to rights, of making a product that isn’t mayonnaise. But the fuddy-duddy old FDA is guilty of confusing “mayo” with “mayonnaise”.

“While there is a food standard of identity for ‘mayonnaise,’ there is no current standard for ‘mayo’. … Hampton Creek does not use the term ‘mayonnaise’ on any of its products or any of its marketing materials … If FDA had intended to cover products that use the term ‘mayo’ in its standard for mayonnaise, it could have done so, yet it did not.”

More here.