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COMPLIANCE POLICY GUIDE (CPG)

CPG Sec 570.100 Jordan Almonds - Common or Usual Name December 1988

Final
Issued by:
Guidance Issuing Office
Human Foods Program
Office of Inspections and Investigations

BACKGROUND:

Administration Information Letter (AIL) No. 173, October 20, 1941, stated that the term "Jordan" almonds was not considered misleading solely because almonds were not of Palestinian origin. This AIL read as follows:

"We have your letter of September 28 inquiring as to the use of the term 'Jordan Almonds' on labels for sugar-coated almonds in which almonds other than 'genuine Spanish Jordan Almonds' are used.

"Upon receipt of a similar inquiry as to the present-day consumer understanding of the term 'Jordan Almonds" in connection with the confection you have in mind we undertook a little research as to the origin and evolution of the term. As far as we can determine the term 'Jordan Almonds' according to one source of information came from the French word 'jardin,' meaning 'garden,' 'hence, a cultivated almond' (Webster's New International Dictionary). Another source of information indicated that at one time the term referred to a variety of almonds originally grown along the Jordan River in Palestine characterized by long, thin, slender, rather smooth kernels in thick, heavy shells.

"The information we were able to elicit as to present-day trade and consumer understanding led us to conclude that to consumers the term may have no significance other than identification of the confection consisting of candy-coated almonds so long as the almonds used are of a certain type or shape that has been found most suitable for candy coating -- in other words, a shape similar to that of the original Jordan almond which would be a long, thin, slender, rather smooth kernel in a thick, heavy shell.

"In the light of our present information we have not been disposed to institute action against this confection labeled 'Jordan Almonds' if the almonds used are of a variety having the physical characteristics described above no matter what may be their source. Of course if it should develop that consumers are in fact being misled as to the identity of the almonds used by this term it would be necessary for us to recall this opinion and advise the trade accordingly."

POLICY:

The term "Jordan Almonds" is considered the common or usual name for candy-coated almonds. The almonds used are varieties that are long, thin, slender, rather smooth kernels.

Issued: 8/20/73
Reissued: 10/1/80, 12/2/88

Submit Comments

Submit comments on this guidance document electronically via docket ID: FDA-2013-S-0610 - Specific Electronic Submissions Intended For FDA's Dockets Management Staff (i.e., Citizen Petitions, Draft Proposed Guidance Documents, Variances, and other administrative record submissions)

If unable to submit comments online, please mail written comments to:

Dockets Management
Food and Drug Administration
5630 Fishers Lane, Rm 1061
Rockville, MD 20852

All comments should be identified with the title of the guidance.

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