Can you sell food from your house in Idaho?

Posted by Damian Roberti on

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho?

 we are amazon associates and may be paid for links used in this blog for qualifying purchases 

For many years, the state of Idaho has permitted the sale of low-risk homemade meals, but the state is just now beginning to codify such methods into state regulations. The new suggested guidelines were approved in January of 2016, and it is anticipated that they would go into effect in April of that same year. However, it is already possible to sell goods made in a cottage industry directly, and the following material covers the procedures that are currently used.

Because Idaho lacked a statute that would authorize the operation of these home food companies, several cottage food bills were proposed in the state in the year 2015. The first measure (H106), which allowed for direct sales of low-risk foods, just attempted to codify the practice that is already being followed by the health districts. The Northwest Food Processors Association became interested in the issue as a result of the introduction of House Bill 106 (H106). As a result of their involvement, House Bill 187 (H187) was drafted as a replacement for the original bill and included a number of new restrictions, including a requirement for registration and a cap on sales. Due to competing interests, both measures were eventually unsuccessful, which was for the best because, if H187 had been approved, it would have made it significantly more challenging to launch a cottage food business in the state of Idaho.

 

 

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho



The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare organized a series of roundtable conversations on the topic of the legal standing of cottage foods throughout the state throughout the summer of 2015. These discussions eventually had an impact on the proposed rules, which imposed few regulatory constraints. ""We quite regularly heard from cottage food producers that there needs to be some better definitions, but not rules around it," stated Patrick Guzzle, the Food Protection Program Manager at IDHW.

Listing of Contents (Table of) Restrictions on the Kinds of Foods That Can Be Sold BusinessLabelingResourcesForum\sSelling Where can you sell the food that you've cooked at home?
Authorized Locations
Events Farmers' markets, HomeOnlineRoadside stands
Services That Are Allowed
Pickup at Home
Mail Order
Locations That Are Not Allowed
Restaurants Retail stores
Services That Are Not Allowed

 

 

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho



Foods That Are Allowed What kinds of edible items can you sell from the comfort of your own home? Bread Bagels Bread made with bis bread Brownies Cakes Cookies Donuts Muffins RSweet bread Sweet bread Tortillas
Candies
ChocolateCotton hocolateCotton candy Fudge Truffles Condi
Honey and Nuts
Mustards Nut butte
Is it dry? Syrups V
Arabica Coffee Beans Dried Meals and Cereals Coffee Pasta noodle Ingredients for flavors and spices Tea noodle Ingredients for flavors and spices
Additional eaves Pastries Cones Empanad
Sweets such as Tarts and Jellies Pi
Caramel corn confections enrobed in chocolate The snack foods crackers and pretzels Fruit tanned in leather Granola Kettle Pre-Seeds, Crackers, and Nuts and Seeds Popcorn
Foods That Are Not Allowed
Perishable baked Seeds and nuts both. Po
There is a good chance that there are even more foods that are off limits, but the ones listed above have been verified.
Any food that does not have the potential to be harmful may be consumed, with the exception of acidic meals. Depending on the recipe, some sorts of products, such as fruit butters, apple sauce, pepper jams, and the like, may or may not be permitted. In the event that you are unsure about the safety of a product, you should acquire approval from your local health district. Only "non-potentially harmful" foods are allowed, although even some meals that aren't on that list could be banned. The majority of foods that do not require refrigeration (items that do not contain meat, dairy, etc.) are not thought to pose any significant health risks. Find out more.
Limitations How will regulations affect your in-home catering business?
Limitations: Only retail via direct contact
It's possible that there are further restrictions, but the ones listed above have been verified.

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho


There is no cap on the number of sales for.
What steps are required to start a food business from your own home?


Food Risk Assessment Form

It is not required, but the health department strongly recommends that all cottage food operations fill out a food risk assessment form. This is done for two reasons: the first is to ensure that your products are acceptable, and the second is to make it simpler for you to be accepted into certain kinds of sales venues. The form might be necessary for certain markets or events.



Education Regarding Food Safety

In order to guarantee that food is handled safely, the health department does not mandate any specific type of training, although they do recommend taking a fundamental food handlers' course online. Courses (such as the ServSafe course) typically last a few hours and cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $15.


 

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho


Examination of Products

Depending on the formulation of the product in question, certain kinds of foods, such as fruit butters, might be permitted.

If you want to make sure that the recipe is safe to use, you can send the finished product off to a private laboratory to have it examined.



Examining the Water

If you have your own private supply of water, the local health service advises that you have it tested at least once every three months.

How should items involving cottage food be labelled?

At this time, the health department advises you to affix labels to all of your items. Labels will soon be required after the new Idaho Food Code is approved. Labels will be required to include a warning about allergens and a statement that the food was prepared in a home kitchen. Labels will be required to be in compliance with the new Idaho Food Code.

 

Can you sell food from your house in Idaho