Cottage Food Law
Cottage Food
A cottage food production is not a food service establishment and shall not be subject to any health or food code laws or regulations of the state or department other than this section and rules set forth for a cottage food production operation.
Cottage Food Operations Requirements
- Cottage Food Law Guidance for City of St. Joseph Health Department (PDF)
- A food safety training certificate is not required
- Food is sold face to face, online (in-state only), markets, and stands
- Food is limited to non-Potentially Hazardous / TCS (Temperature Control for Safety) only – this is standard across the country as all cottage food operations are limited to non-potentially hazardous / TCS foods
- Food labeling IS required, including a statement that the food is not produced in a kitchen subject to inspection (full list of label requirements is on page 2 of the Cottage Food Law Guidance for city of St. Joseph Health Department)
- Non-potentially hazardous processed food, except low acid canned and acidified foods as specified in MO 21 CFR 113 and 114 respectively, “baked good”, including, but not limited to breads, cookies, cakes, Danish, donuts, pastries, fruit pies, and other items that are prepared by baking the item in an oven. Also allowable is the production of jams, jellies, packaged spices and spice mixes that include herbs, or a dried herb or herb mix, dry cookie, cake, bread, and soup mixes
Steps to Establishing Cottage Food Operations
- A business license is required to operate any business, occupation, pursuit, profession, or trade or to keep / maintain any institution, establishment, article, utility, or commodity in the city of St. Joseph
- The Cottage Food Law Form for Vendors (PDF) must be completed and submitted to the city of St. Joseph