Title 21
Food and Drugs

Chapter 9
Frozen Desserts

R.I. Gen. Laws § 21-9-1

§ 21-9-1. Definitions.

(a) Unless the context otherwise requires, the words and phrases defined in this section are used in this chapter in the sense given them in the following definitions:

(1) “Advertise” means all representations disseminated in any manner or by any means, other than by labeling, for the purpose of inducing, or which are likely to induce, directly or indirectly, the purchase of frozen desserts and/or frozen dessert mixes.

(2) “Director of health” means the director of health of Rhode Island.

(3) “Frozen dessert mix” means any unfrozen mixture that can be used in the manufacture of frozen desserts or freezer milk shakes and substitutes or imitations of them offered for sale or resale.

(4) “Frozen dessert plant” means any building, establishment, place, or premises or any part of it where frozen desserts and/or frozen dessert mixes are manufactured into a form for distribution, and any building, establishment, place, or premises or any part of it where equipment for the manufacture of frozen desserts and/or frozen dessert mixes is washed, sterilized, kept, or maintained.

(5) “Frozen desserts” are products to be consumed in frozen form and include, but not be limited to: ice cream and frozen custard, ice milk, sherbet, non-fruit sherbet, water ice, non fruit water ice, mellorine, goat’s milk ice cream and goat’s milk ice milk, frozen yogurt, frozen lowfat or lowfat frozen yogurt, frozen nonfat yogurt or nonfat frozen yogurt, quiescently frozen confection, quiescently frozen dairy confection, frozen dietary dairy dessert, dietary frozen dessert, manufactured desserts mix, freezer made shake, freezer made milk shake, parevine, lo-mel, lactose reduced ice cream, lactose reduced ice milk, other similar frozen products, substitutes, and imitations of them.

(6) “Labeling” means all labels and other written, printed, or graphic matter: (i) upon a frozen dessert and/or frozen dessert mix or any of its container or wrappers, or (ii) accompanying such products.

(7) “Manufacture” means assemble, process, prepare, produce, and/or convert.

(8) “Misleading” means that if an article is alleged to be misbranded because the labeling is misleading, or if an advertisement is alleged to be false because it is misleading, then in determining whether the labeling or advertisement is misleading, there shall be taken into account (among other things) not only representations made or suggested by statement, work, design, device, sound, or in any combination of them, but also the extent to which the labeling or advertisement fails to reveal facts material in the light of the representations or material with respect to consequences which may result from the use of the article to which the labeling or advertisement relates under the conditions of use prescribed in the labeling or advertisement thereof or under any conditions of use that are customary or usual.

(9) “Mobile unit” means any vehicle on which frozen desserts are manufactured and which is used for the sale of frozen desserts and/or freezer milk shakes to the consumer.

(10) “Mobile unit depot” means a building from which a mobile unit operates and where it is sanitized.

(11) “Person” includes one or more individuals, a firm, partnership, corporation, or association.

(12) “Retail manufacturer” means a person who manufactures frozen desserts for sale at retail and who is not a wholesale manufacturer as defined by this chapter.

(13) “Sale” means any and every transaction including the barter, dispensing, distributing, delivering, serving, giving away, offer for sale, exposing, storing, or any other possession of frozen desserts and/or frozen dessert mixes by any person whether as principal, proprietor, agent, servant, or employee where the products are subject to transfer to another person.

(14) “Wholesale manufacturer” means a person who manufactures frozen desserts and/or frozen dessert mixes for distribution to a second person for redistribution or for manufacturing purposes.

(b) Where the term “and/or” is used, either word shall apply as the context requires.

(c) Definitions and standards of identity for frozen desserts and frozen dessert mixes shall be established by regulations promulgated by the director of health under the authority of § 21-9-13.

History of Section.
P.L. 1953, ch. 3176, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 21-9-1; P.L. 1962, ch. 129, § 1; P.L. 1986, ch. 238, § 3; P.L. 1990, ch. 10, art. 7, § 2; P.L. 1990, ch. 129, § 2; P.L. 1990, ch. 471, § 2.