Georgia Cottage Food Inspection
Georgia Cottage Food Inspection
Georgia Cottage Food Laws: A Comprehensive Guide for Home-Based Food Businesses
Welcome to the exciting world of cottage food businesses in Georgia! If you're a home-based food entrepreneur, it's essential to understand the laws and regulations surrounding the production and sale of cottage food products in the state. In this blog post, we'll explore everything you need to know about Georgia's cottage food laws, enacted in September 2012, and how they apply to your business.
Under Georgia's cottage food law, certain low-risk food products can be produced and sold from your home kitchen without any inspection or licensing requirements. Georgia Cottage Food Inspection These non-potentially hazardous foods are detailed in Georgia's Regulations Chapter 40-7-19. The Cottage Food License allows home-based food entrepreneurs to sell their products directly to end users.
There are no limits on gross sales or the number of units that can be produced under the Georgia Department of Agriculture's cottage food regulations. However, only non-potentially hazardous food products are allowed under these laws. Approved cottage food products include:
Georgia Cottage Food Inspection
- Loaf Breads, Rolls, and Biscuits
- Cakes
- Pastries and Cookies
- Candies and Confections
- Fruit Pies
- Jams, Jellies, and Preserves
- Dried Fruits
- Dry Herbs, Seasonings and Mixtures
- Cereals, Trail Mixes, and Granola
- Coated or Uncoated Nuts
- Vinegar and Flavored Vinegar
- Popcorn, Popcorn Balls, and Cotton Candy
If your food product doesn't fall under the cottage food category, don't worry! There are still options available to you, such as renting space in a licensed commercial kitchen or partnering with a co-packer to produce your food product.
Cottage food operators can sell their products within Georgia at non-profit and for-profit events, like farmers markets, as well as through internet sales. However, they cannot distribute or wholesale their products, ship them across state lines, or sell them to retail stores, restaurants, or other institutions.
To start your cottage food business, you'll need to obtain a Cottage Food License by filling out the necessary application form and paying the required fee. Additionally, you'll need to complete an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accredited food safety training program, such as the ServSafe® training classes.
Georgia Cottage Food Inspection
Make sure to follow proper business filing procedures and collect sales taxes as required by the state of Georgia. Furthermore, your cottage food products must be labeled correctly with information such as the business name and address, common product name, ingredients statement, net weight or volume, allergen declarations, nutritional information (if applicable), and the cottage food statement.
Remember to maintain good sanitation practices and keep records of every batch of product made for sale. This includes details like the recipe, amount canned and sold, canning date, sale dates and locations, gross sales receipts, and results of any pH test.
By adhering to Georgia's cottage food laws and following best practices for sanitation and allergen information, you can ensure the success and safety of your home-based food business. Happy baking and selling! Georgia Cottage Food Inspection