Belgium’s mayonnaise law needs updating, say manufacturers

The 60-year-old ‘mayonnaise law’ in Belgium is outdated and urgently needs updating, according to the country’s mayonnaise manufacturers. The law states that mayonnaise produced in Belgium must contain at least 80% fat and 7.5% egg yolk. These minimums do not apply to mayonnaise produced outside of Belgium.

Belgian mayonnaise with less fat content may only be placed on the market as a dressing. Meanwhile, the rising demand for low-fat mayonnaise means that producers of Belgian mayonnaise are having increasing difficulty selling their products.

The federal government is considering an adaptation to the mayonnaise law as part of a larger plan to reduce the amounts of fat and sugar in food.