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Connecticut Cottage Food Laws and Regulations: How to sell your homemade foods in Connecticut
Connecticut Cottage Food Laws, Regulations and Facts
Date of the enactment of the October 1, 2018. You can now apply
for a Cottage Food License in Connecticut. There is an application
process required BEFORE you can sell.
Which foods are subject to the Connecticut Cottage Food law?
Some examples of potentially acceptable cottage food are:
- Loaf breads, rolls and biscuits
- Non-potentially hazardous
cakes including celebration cakes
- (e.g. birthday cake, but
not cheese cake)
- Non-potentially hazardous pastries and
cookies
- Candies and confections
- Fruit pies (not pumpkin)
-
Jams, jellies and preserves (must meet the Standard of
-
Identity in 21CFR150)
- Dried fruits
- Dry herbs, seasonings
and mixtures
- Non-potentially hazardous cereals, trail mixes
and granola
- Coated or uncoated nuts
- Vinegar and flavored
vinegars
- Popcorn and popcorn balls
- Cotton candy
PLEASE NOTE: This list
is not inclusive. The state of Connecticut says (in an example
of government ambiguity and uselessness): "Products on this list are not automatically
approved, and the list above is subject to change." Which
effectively means, "Yeah, make those things, but you'd better ask us
first, document everything and be ready for us to change our
mind on a whim"
If your food product does not meet the definition of a Cottage
Food:
Don't give up. You may still be able to make and sell it commercially,
through a startup approach.
First, you may be able to rent space in a local licensed commercial kitchen.
Second, if that doesn't work, you may be able to get a co-packer to make the food for you.
See this page for detailed information about selling foods that do
not meet the Cottage Food definition
Prohibited foods
Definitions:
- Cottage Food is prepared food perceived to be low-risk for
food-related injury or illness. As a low-risk product, Cottage
Food can be prepared in a home environment without some of the
controls used for a traditional ready-to-eat food such as those
foods sold in a restaurant or grocery store
- Potentially Hazardous Food: Potentially hazardous food is
any food that requires time and temperature control for safety
to limit pathogenic microorganism growth or toxin formation.
This means any food that will spoil as a result of improper
temperature control and, as a result, may be potentially harmful
if consumed.
- 21CFR: 21CFR (Code of Federal Regulations Title 21)
references the FDA regulations that will affect your work.
- Private Residential Dwelling: A private residential dwelling
is your home. It is not a group or communal residential setting.
A home in an apartment building is considered a private
residential dwelling. Cottage food may only be produced in your
home kitchen, and may only be packaged, stored or handled in the
permitted portion of your home that includes your kitchen.
Licensing - submitting an application
The following documentation must be attached and submitted with a
completed application. Do not submit the application until you are
able to provide these items:
Labeling requirements
Cottage Food Production Operations must label all of their food products properly,
which includes specified information on the label of each unit
of food product offered or distributed for sale.
The basic information that must be on the label is as follows:
- Name and address of the cottage food operation.
- Name of the cottage food product (All capital letters or upper/lower
case are both acceptable).
- The ingredients in the cottage food product in descending order of
predominance by weight.
- If you use a prepared item in your recipe, you must list the sub
ingredients as well. For example: "soy sauce" is not acceptable, but
"soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt)" would be acceptable.
- The net weight or net volume of the cottage food product (this must
also include the metric equivalent; conversion charts are available
online).
- Allergen labeling as specified in federal labeling requirements.
- The following statement must be printed in at least ten-point type
in a clear and conspicuous manner: "Made in a Cottage Food Operation
that is not Subject to Routine Government Food Safety."
Hand-printed labels are acceptable if they are clearly legible,
written with durable, permanent ink, and printed large enough to
equal the font size requirements listed above.
It is recommended that honey manufacturers/processors include
this additional statement to their product label: "Honey is not
recommended for infants less than twelve (12) months of age"; and
Depending on the
size of your business, your label must comply with Federal label
regulations and with the new nutritional labeling law. You can
download a copy of
the FDA Food Labeling Guide here it s an illustrated booklet
that should answer all your questions.
Where may Cottage Food Production Operations sell the food products?
Cottage Food Products may not be sold across state lines.
In other words, only be sold within the state. They may be
sold directly to the consumer from the home where the products are
produced.
See this page for more detailed information and FAQs
Other requirements
- Cottage Food operators must prepare food in their home
kitchen without pets, or small children present, and should
always wear gloves in order to ensure the safest environment
possible.
- Individuals can only sell their products directly to
consumers, (that allows sales from home and at events)
- Cottage food operations can sell up to $25,000 of products
per year. ( yearly gross sales limit of $25,000)
Recommendations:
Beyond the requirements, common sense, good practices and
reducing liability suggests you should do the following.
Training
Take the
ServSafe® training classes for Manager and employees, the 7th Edition Book that accompanies this course should be purchased here..
Testing of pH
It's best to use a pH meter, properly calibrated on the day
used. I use this one, which is reliable and inexpensive.
And this pH meter is really good, but isn't always available.
Short-range paper
pH test strips, commonly known as litmus paper, may be used
instead, if the product normally has a pH of 4.0 or lower and the
paper's range includes a pH of 4.6.
Record-keeping is suggested
Keep a written record of every batch of product made for sale,
including:
- Recipe, including procedures and ingredients
- Amount canned and sold
- Canning date
- Sale dates and locations
- Gross sales receipts
- Results of any pH test
Sanitation
Although inspections are not required, you should consider doing
the following:
- Use clean equipment that has been effectively sanitized
prior to use
- Clean work surfaces and then sanitize with bleach water
before and after use
- Keep ingredients separate from other unprocessed foods
- Keep household pets out of the work area
- Keep walls and floors clean
- Have adequate lighting
- Keep window and door screens in good repair to keep insects
out
- Wash hands frequently while working
- Consider annual testing of water if using a private well
Best Practices
- Allergens: Most state home baking
acts require an "ingredient statement" and/or an "allergen
listing" on the label of the bakery item for sale; but if your
state does not, you should anyway. The eight major food
allergens are
- milk,
- eggs,
- fish,
- crustacean shellfish,
- tree nuts,
- peanuts,
- wheat and
- soybean.
- Cross-allergenicity: There are also
ingredients available, even flours, that can cause a
cross-allergenicity. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma &
Immunology explains cross-allergenicity as an allergic reaction
when proteins in one substance are similar to the proteins found
in another substance. For example, consumption of lupine flour
may trigger an allergic reaction to peanuts, and cricket flour
may trigger an allergic reaction to shellfish. Again, providing
such information might be a beneficial marketing tool and help
keep potential consumers safe.
- The 2 Hour/4 Hour Rule - Anyone
wishing to make and sell refrigerated bakery items should
remember to follow the "2 Hour/4 Hour Rule." This is a system
that can be implemented when potentially hazardous foods are out
of temperature control (temperatures greater than 45 degrees
Fahrenheit) during preparation, serving or display for sale. The
rule guidelines are as follows:
- If a potentially hazardous food has been out of
temperature control for 2 hours or less, then it may
continue to be used or be placed back in the refrigerator.
- If a potentially hazardous food has been out of
temperature control for more than 2 hours but less than 4
hours, it needs to be used quickly or discarded.
- If a potentially hazardous food has been out of
temperature control for more than 4 hours, it must be
discarded.
More resources:
Questions? Contact Information:
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Food and Standards Division:
Email:
dcp.foodandstandards@ct.gov.
Phone: (860) 713-6160
Website: www.portal.ct.gov/cottagefood