Cottage Food Laws: Are Homemade Jams, Breads, and Salsas Always Safe?

Cottage Food Laws: Are Homemade Jams, Breads, and Salsas Always Safe?

Cottage food laws have grown in popularity across the United States as more people turn their hobbies of baking, canning, or cooking into small businesses. These laws allow individuals to sell certain homemade food products directly to consumers without the need for a commercial kitchen. The movement has boosted local economies, empowered entrepreneurs, and given communities greater access to homemade goods. However, questions remain about whether these products are always safe to eat.

What Cottage Food Laws Allow

Cottage food laws vary by state but typically permit the sale of low-risk foods such as breads, cookies, fruit pies, jams, jellies, and certain canned goods . Items considered potentially hazardous, such as