Looking for Tennessee Cottage Foods: Labeling Your Food Product (updated for 2024) in 2024? Scroll down this page and follow the links. And if you bring home some fruit or vegetables and want to can, freeze, make jam, salsa or pickles, see this page for simple, reliable, illustrated canning, freezing or preserving directions. There are plenty of other related resources, click on the resources dropdown above. If you are having a hard time finding canning lids, I've used these, and they're a great price & ship in 2 days.
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The labeling requirements change as a result of the 2022 updates to the cottage food law.
Date of the enactment of the first Tennessee cottage food law: January, 2007
The law was updated, effective June 17, 2017, and then again 2022, see this PB1909 fact sheet.
All food items packaged in a domestic kitchen must be properly labeled prior to sale. All homemade food products sold under the cottage food laws must include the following information as directed in the FFA: at a minimum, must be present on all food items (see Figure):
A current distribution list including quantities sold may also be of assistance should an incident occur. All labeling shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 21, Part 101. The FDA Food Labeling Guide is a good resource to consult to assure you have properly labeled your product.
Special attention should be paid with respect to clear labeling of the eight major food allergens: milk, eggs, soy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, crustacean shellfish. The licensed facility may apply for a Small Business Nutritional Labeling Exemption , if applicable.
Here is a free Microsoft Word label template which you can download and edit. These labels are already formatted to fit on Avery Template 22820 Print-to-the-Edge Oval, Labels 2" x 3-1/3", 8 per Sheet, Glossy White. You can get the label stock online (see at right).
Tennessee Department of Agriculture Consumer and Industry Services,
Food Safety Section Ellington Agricultural Center
436 Hogan Road Nashville, TN 37220
Phone: 615-837-5193
Email: NewFood.Business@TN.gov
Website: https://www.tn.gov/agriculture
Water bath canner with a jar rack
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Canning scoop (this one is PERFECT)
Ball Blue book (most recent version)
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