§ 492. Labeling container of maple flavored products

(a) Every product or package containing a product made by combining maple sap, maple sugar, or maple syrup with any other sugar or other substance packed, sold, offered, or exposed for sale or distribution by any person in this State shall be plainly marked in accordance with 9 V.S.A. § 2633(c) for packaging and labeling regulations and shall include the following on the principal display panel:

(1) an accurate and descriptive name;

(2) the net quantity contents declaration; and

(3) the amount of maple sugar or maple syrup the product contains expressed in percentage of volume if the product is a liquid or a list of the product ingredients in order of decreasing predominance by weight if the product is a solid. The percentage statement or ingredient list shall be in close proximity to the product name.

(b) The same information required in subsection (a) of this section shall be included in any advertisements of the product. When the product is served in any public eating place, the menu shall be conspicuously marked with an accurate and descriptive name and a statement expressing the percentage of maple sugar or maple syrup the product contains.

(c) The words "maple," "mapyl," "mapley," or words of similar import shall not appear in any manner on a container, label, menu, or advertisement of maple flavored products, unless:

(1) such words are printed in the statement of contents together with the percentage;

(2) such words are a part of the packer's name, provided that the packer's name cannot appear to be a part of the product name; or

(3) the words "blend," "sweetened," or "flavored" appear immediately before, after, above or below and in equal prominence to such words.

(d) The term "maple flavored" may only be used when 100 percent of the flavoring material is a pure maple product. If any artificial maple flavor is used, the label shall clearly and conspicuously state "artificial flavor."  (Added 1981, No. 235 (Adj. Sess.), § 1; amended 1985, No. 241 (Adj. Sess.), § 2.)