# Sherbet — What a food must legally contain to use its name: FDA standards of identity, in one table

For Sherbet, cfr section is 21 CFR 135.140; category (cfr part) is Frozen Desserts; composition requirements is Sherbet weighs not less than 6 pounds to the gallon. The milkfat content is not less than 1 percent nor more than 2 percent, the nonfat milk-derived solids content not less than 1 percent, and the total milk or milk-derived solids content is not less than 2 percent nor more than 5 percent by weight of the finished food. Sherbet that is characterized by a fruit ingredient shall have a titratable acidity, calculated as lactic acid, of not less than 0.35 percent, recorded from its source on 2026-08-11.

- **CFR section:** 21 CFR 135.140 _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_
- **Standardized food:** Sherbet _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Category (CFR part):** Frozen Desserts _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **Composition requirements:** Sherbet weighs not less than 6 pounds to the gallon. The milkfat content is not less than 1 percent nor more than 2 percent, the nonfat milk-derived solids content not less than 1 percent, and the total milk or milk-derived solids content is not less than 2 percent nor more than 5 percent by weight of the finished food. Sherbet that is characterized by a fruit ingredient shall have a titratable acidity, calculated as lactic acid, of not less than 0.35 percent. _(verified: appears in the quote below)_

## What the source says

> § 135.140 Sherbet. ( a ) Description. ( 1 ) Sherbet is a food produced by freezing, while stirring, a pasteurized mix consisting of one or more of the optional dairy ingredients specified in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-135.140#p-135.140(b)> paragraph (b) of this section, and may contain one or more of the optional caseinates specified in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-135.140#p-135.140(c)> paragraph (c) of this section subject to the conditions hereinafter set forth, and other safe and suitable nonmilk-derived ingredients; and excluding other food fats, except such as are added in small amounts to accomplish specific functions or are natural components of flavoring ingredients used. Sherbet is sweetened with nutritive carbohydrate sweeteners and is characterized by the addition of one or more of the characterizing fruit ingredients specified in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-135.140#p-135.140(d)> paragraph (d) of this section or one or more of the nonfruit-characterizing ingredients specified in <https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-135.140#p-135.140(e)> paragraph (e) of this section. ( 2 ) Sherbet weighs not less than 6 pounds to the gallon. The milkfat content is not less than 1 percent nor more than 2 percent, the nonfat milk-derived solids content not less than 1 percent, and the total milk or milk-derived solids content is not less than 2 percent nor more than 5 percent by weight of the finished food. Sherbet that is characterized by a fruit ingredient shall have a titratable acidity, calculated as lactic acid, of not less than 0.35 percent.

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-135

Last verified: 2026-08-11. Review by: 2027-08-11.
Part of [What a food must legally contain to use its name: FDA standards of identity, in one table](https://referencesource.org/food-standards-of-identity/).