1. Utah’s Cottage Food Rule
Regulations & Resources
To Get You Started

2. What is “Cottage Food”? Utah Code Title 4 Utah Agricultural Code
Chapter 5 Utah Wholesome Food Act
Section 9.5 Cottage food production operations.
(a) "Cottage food production operation" means a person, who in the person's home, produces a food product that is not a potentially hazardous food or a food that requires time/temperature controls for safety.
(b) "Home" means a primary residence:
(i) occupied by the individual who is operating a cottage food production operation; and
(ii) which contains:
(A) a kitchen designed for common residential usage; and
(B) appliances designed for common residential usage.
This is the definition from the Utah Code

3. Utah R70-560 “Cottage Food Rule”
Regulates all aspects of cottage food production
Approval of Food
Production Requirements
Inspections, Registration and Investigation
Cottage Food Labeling
Food Distribution and Storage
*Your handout includes a copy of the full text Rule.
We will cover each of these sections to help you understand the regulations

4. R Approval of Food.
Before you can begin producing food, you must:
Demonstrate that your product is not hazardous, including having it tested for safety if needed
Receive approval through UDAF for each product you will make
This is a brief summary of requirements from Section 3.

5. How to Do This
Contact UDAF to request a Cottage Food Program Application Packet
Rebecca Nielsen
Cottage Food Program Coordinator
(801)
UDAF = Utah Dept. of Agriculture & Food

6. How to Do This
Fill out a Cottage Product Application Form for each one of your products
You must have a registered business (Register with your city/county and the Utah Department of Commerce)
If possible, use weight instead of volume for your ingredients
Be specific with temperatures and cooking times
Your handout contains a list of local licensing offices
Point out that there is an example of the application form in their packets, but they will need to obtain the most current form from UDAF.

7. How to Do This
Be ready to provide a sample of each product for testing in case of questions
Samples should be packaged the same way you will package your product for sale
A Process Authority will test your product for safety and compliance
Process recommendations may be made that must be followed for your product to be safe

8. Allowed Cottage Foods Air cooled hard boiled eggs Foods with Aw ≤ 0.85
Shell must be completely intact
Foods with Aw ≤ 0.85
Foods with pH ≤ 4.6
Properly canned acid foods
Other foods found to be non-hazardous (e.g. bread)
Water activity – next slide
pH – after water activity
Properly canned acid foods – pickles, salsa. Other pickled vegetables usually have to be tested.
Others – bread, rolls, and some cakes fall into this group. Anything that contains vegetables (carrot cake, jalapeno bread) will usually need to be tested.

9. Examples of foods in this range
Water Activity
Amount of water that is “available” to microbes
Water Activity (Aw)
Examples of foods in this range
1.00 – 0.95
Fresh produce & meat; canned produce & meat; milk; juice; bread
0.95 – 0.91
Cured meats (ham); semisoft & some hard cheeses (Swiss, young cheddar, provolone); moist cakes
0.91 – 0.87
Hard or aged cheese; sponge cakes; margarine; most fermented sausage
0.87 – 0.80
Syrup; flour; fruit juice concentrate; high-sugar cakes
0.80 – 0.75
Jam & marmalade; marshmallows; beef jerky
0.75 – 0.65
Soy sauce; molasses; jelly; nuts; oats; peanut butter;
0.65 – 0.60
Honey; caramels; dried fruit; toffee
0.50 or below
Spices; crackers; cookies; pasta;
powdered milk
Point out that although there are dehydrated foods on this chart, that is not usually allowed in cottage production. The best way to lower the Aw is to add more salt or sugar.

10. Most foods are between 7.0 (neutral) and 3.0 (acidic)pH
Most foods are between 7.0 (neutral) and 3.0 (acidic) 
7.0
6.0
5.0
4.0
3.0 
Point out that tomatoes fall right on the borderline of safe pH (4.6). In general, the sweeter the tomato, the higher the pH, so they will need to be acidified.

11. Examples of Allowed Foods

12. R70-560-4. Production Requirements.
To begin producing food, you must:
Have a food handler’s permit
Use easily cleanable surfaces and equipment
Follow proper sanitation procedures
Have a separate storage area for all ingredients & finished products
Keep samples from each batch for 14 days
This is a brief summary of the regulations in Section 4

13. R70-560-4. Production Requirements.
While producing food, you cannot:
Cook for yourself at the same time
Have any pets in the kitchen (free-roaming pets are never allowed)
Allow anyone without a food handler’s permit in the kitchen
Make any changes in your recipe without receiving UDAF approval
Cottage food production will not be approved if there are cats or dogs in the house

14. How to Do This
Contact your local health department to obtain a food handler’s permit
Online courses are available through for these counties:
Beaver
Kane
Uintah
Box Elder
Millard
Utah
Cache
Piute
Washington
Daggett
Rich
Wayne
Davis
Salt Lake
Duchesne
Sanpete
Garfield
Sevier
Iron
Summit
Juab
Tooele
Food Safety Manager certification is accepted by most inspectors in place of a food handler’s permit

15. How to Do This
Develop a written sanitation plan that is specific to your kitchen
How will you clean & sanitize?
When will you clean & sanitize?
What will you clean & sanitize?

16. How will you clean & sanitize?
Unscented chlorine bleach
Minimum: 1/3 tsp per gallon water (20 ppm)
Maximum: 1 tbsp per gallon water (200 ppm)
Use test strips to verify concentration
Leave on surfaces for at least 2 minutes
Other sanitizers should be mixed and used following manufacturers instructions
Quaternary Ammonium
Iodophors
20ppm is the minimum approved concentration for sanitizing, and 200ppm is the maximum approved concentration for food contact surfaces. If they use more concentrated bleach solution, counters need to be wiped down with clean tap water before food production can start.

17. Test Strips are available online and at most restaurant supply stores.
It usually costs $6 - $8 for a pack of 100 test strips

18. When will you clean & sanitize?
Clean surfaces and equipment first, then wipe with sanitizing solution
Sanitize before starting and after finishing production, and once an hour during
Cloths can be stored in sanitizing solution when not being used
Check sanitizing solution once an hour and remix as needed
Cloths can only be left in sanitizing solution during food production – they cannot be left there between separate productions. If there is a lot of grease or oil that they are wiping up, their sanitizing solution may need to be refreshed more often.

19. What will you clean & sanitize?
Check countertops regularly for chips or cracks
Use only non-corrosive cookware
Stainless steel, aluminum, or copper
Utensils should be non-absorbent, free of cracks, and easy to clean
Plastic, stainless, or silicon
Wooden utensils are not allowed
Cast iron pans can be used in some cases, but that needs to be approved by their inspector.

20. Check non-stick & enamel cookware closely before each use.
If any chips, cracks, or flakes are seen, the pan should not be used for Cottage Food Production.

21. Washing & Sanitizing Equipment
Commercial kitchens use three- compartment sinks
Scraping & pre-rinse station
Separate sinks to wash, rinse & sanitize
Air dry

22. Washing & Sanitizing Equipment
Commercial kitchens use three- compartment sinks
Scraping & pre-rinse station
Separate sinks to wash, rinse & sanitize
Air dry
Modification for home kitchens
Scrape or wipe into garbage can
Wash & rinse in kitchen sink
Sanitize in separate tub or container
Any tub or container used for sanitizing should be made from food grade material

23. How to Do This
Designate one cupboard, pantry, or closet for storing Cottage Food only
Food must be kept 6” off the floor
Food cannot be stored in bathrooms, bedrooms, or garages
Refrigerated and frozen ingredients can be stored in a separate refrigerator in a garage
Samples from each batch are for microbial testing – they cannot be frozen!
Microbial testing is not required for each batch of food. Samples are kept in case there is a concern about contamination, so the production batch in question can be tested.

24. R70-560-5. Inspections, Registration and Investigations
To operate a Cottage Kitchen, you must:
Pass an initial inspection, and allow inspectors to re-inspect as needed
Register annually as a food establishment
Display your current registration in your kitchen and anywhere you sell directly to the consumer
This is a brief summary of the regulations in Section 5

25. How to Do This
Contact UDAF to schedule an inspection with your local inspector
You will need to show your food handler’s permit and business license
You should have your approved recipes and kitchen sanitation plan available
Be prepared to demonstrate how you will monitor the temperature of refrigerators, finished foods, etc.
Other things the inspector might want to see include food-safe gloves, sanitizer test strips, and storage areas

26. webapp.ag.utah.gov/establishment
How to Do This
After your initial inspection, visit the UDAF website to pay your annual registration fee
webapp.ag.utah.gov/establishment
Category
Registration Fee
Parameters
Food Processor
Small
$30.00
Square footage
Less than 1,000
Employee Count
Less than 4
Process Areas
0-1
Cottage Kitchens are almost always classified as “Small” – to be considered “Medium” they must have 4 employees (registration fee is $90).

27. R70-560-6. Cottage Food Labeling.
Your product label must include:
A standard name (if applicable)
Ingredients in descending order by weight
A listing of allergens present
A declaration of the net weight or content
Your business name, address, and phone
Nutrition labeling (if applicable)
“Home Produced” in 12pt font
This is a brief summary of the regulations in Section 6

28. How to Do This
Follow the “Basic Labeling Guidelines for Home Produced Food” from UDAF
Labeling regulations are very complex, and vary depending on the type of food
Contact a labeling specialist for specific questions
UDAF: Rebecca Nielsen
USU Extension: Karin Allen

29. R70-560-7. Food Distribution and Storage
Ingredients should be:
Obtained from sources that are regulated and/or comply with appropriate laws
In good condition and unspoiled
Used by their expiration date, or within 9 months if an expiration date is not given
This is a brief summary of the regulations in Section 7

30. R70-560-7. Food Distribution and Storage
Finished products should:
Be safe, unadulterated, and honestly presented
Not contain additives that are unapproved or are used at unnecessary levels
Be in packages that are in good condition and will protect the food
Not be displayed on the ground

31. How to Do This Ask yourself this question:
“If I saw this at the grocery store, would I buy it for myself or my family?”
Does the packaging look attractive?
Does the packaging look deceptive?
Can you see the product or a picture of it?
Would you have concerns about the safety of the product?

32. Good Luck with your venture!

33. Contacts & Resources
UDAF Cottage Production Certification & Labeling Compliance
Rebecca Nielson:
(801)
USU Food Quality & Entrepreneurship Program
Karin Allen, PhD:
extension.usu.edu/foodbiz
(435)