How do I start a home bakery in Maine
Since 1980, the state of Maine has been operating under a statute known as the "home food manufacture" law, and it is still in effect today. Despite the fact that it was enacted quite some time before the current popularity of cottage food laws, this rule is extremely adaptable and enables producers to sell a wide variety of foods that they have prepared themselves.
Home food producers are required to obtain a license and submit their kitchens for inspection before they may sell their wares. The vast majority of sorts of shelf-stable products are permitted, but certain things, such as pickles and chocolate sauces, need to be examined and given the go-ahead before they can be marketed. Once a producer receives their license, they have a lot of leeway in terms of where and how much they can sell their products because there is no cap on total sales.
At the state level, Maine has one of the most favorable cottage food laws in the country; however, at least sixteen municipalities inside the state (the first being Sedgwick) have gone one step further and eliminated limitations on all locally produced foods that are sold directly to consumers. You may learn more about it here and here.
How do I start a home bakery in Maine
In 2015, there were a few bills related to "food freedom," but none of them were ultimately successful in becoming law. One of them, known as LD 925, was a food freedom measure that was more typical in nature. It would have permitted the sale of any kind of food so long as it was sold directly at the home of the producer or at a social gathering. The other bill (LD 783) advocated adding the "Right to Food" as a constitutional amendment, which would have provided the framework for preventing regulation of homemade food and would have been a competing measure to LD 783. In 2016, there was another attempt to approve LD 783, however it was unsuccessful once again.
List of Items in the Table of Contents Limitations on the Sales of Allowed Foods BusinessLabelingWorkplaceResources Forum\sSelling Where can you sell culinary items that you created yourself?
The Allowed Locations
Events Farmers' ' markets HOnlineRestaurants Mercantile establishments and roadside stands
The Permitted Services
Delivery Home Delivery Wholesale
WILL YOU BE STARTING A COUNTRY KITCHEN RESTAURANT?
How do I start a home bakery in Maine
Foods that are all right to eat What kinds of edible goods may you offer from your home? Bread Bagels Bis bread Bread bis bread Brownies Cakes Cookies Donuts Muffins Pizzelles Sweet bread Sweet bread Tortillas
Chocolate Candies Cotton te Candies It tastes like cotton candy. Fudge Condiments
Nut butters OilPickles Nut butters Salsas secas OilPick OilPick Sauce
Coffee cherries Fruit that has been dried. Dried Coffee cherries Dried out f Pasta noodle Herbs, spices, and other seasonings Tea ta noodle Tea ta noodle Spices and seasonings
Other types of a leaf Pastries Con
Fruit butters Jams as well as astries Pies Preserves
Caramel corn products dipped in chocolate The snack foods crackers and pretzels Fruit in leather form Granola Kettle ems Seeds and nuts, along with crackers Popcorn
Disallowed or Banned Foods
Products of the baking industry that are perishable
It's possible that there are even more foods on the banned list, but the ones up top have been verified.
Before they may be put on the market, some categories of goods, such as acidified foods (salsas, pickles, and so on), have to be examined and authorized. You are not permitted to sell low-acid canned items that have been pressure canned in your house. Only "non-potentially hazardous" foods are permitted, but even then, some "non-PHF" foods might not be permitted. The vast majority of foods that do not require refrigeration (items that do not contain meat, dairy, etc.) are not thought to pose a significant health risk. Discover more.
Limitations What potential dangers could your homemade food company pose? Discover more.
Only animals in permitted. There are smoking bans in place.
There may be further restrictions, but only those listed above have been verified.
How do I start a home bakery in Maine
There is no predetermined cap on sales.
While you are in the process of producing goods, "uncontrolled youngsters" are not allowed to be in your kitchen according to the law.
business What steps are need to take in order to sell food from your own home?
Obtaining a License to Process Food at Home
Get hold of an application for a Home Food Processor License by getting in touch with the Division of Quality Assurance and Regulations.
Inspection of the Home
You are required to have the Division of Quality Assurance and Regulations conduct an inspection of your home kitchen before they can issue you a license.
Assessment of the Product and the Procedure
Some shelf-stable items, such as low-sugar jams, acidified foods (salsas, pickles, dressings, and so on), and chocolate sauces, do require permission from the University of Maine's School of Food and Agriculture, however testing is not required for the vast majority of products that are not PHF. Depending on the kind of goods being tested, the price per product might range anywhere from $26 to $39 in most cases. Find out more and look up contact information here.
Analyses of Water
How do I start a home bakery in Maine
If you acquire your drinking water from a private source, such as a private well, then you are required to get the water tested by a qualified laboratory at least once per year. Watch this video to get more information on testing the water in your well.
Sewer Testing
Before you can receive a license, your septic tank needs to be inspected if you are not using a public sewer system to dispose of waste.
if you wish to sell your goods at a farmer's market, you will need to obtain a mobile food vendor license from the Division of Quality Assurance and t a mobile food vending license is required.
How are items made from cottage food labelled?
Regulations and Labeling Requirements L quantity of ingredientsNet Address of the company Name of the company and Product name
Cookies with Sample Labels Containing Chocolate Chips
My cake Co.
345 east wing street , ME 73531
enriched flour (wheat flour, malted barley flour, niacin, iron, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (cream, salt), semi-sweet chocolate (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, natural flavors), brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla extract (vanilla bean extract, alcohol, sugar), baking soda, and salt (salt, calcium silicate)
NET WT 1 pound and 4 ouncesContains milk, eggs, wheat, and soy (1.02 kg)
If you make a sale to a customer from your house, there is no need to include a label on the product because you are exempt from having to do so.
Do we need to meet any regulations for our house kitchen?
The law specifies a variety of conditions that must be met in the workplace.