Alaska Can you legally sell food from home in Alaska?
Cottage Food Law
Alaska’s cottage food law is fairly flexible, though only direct, in-person sales are allowed, and producers are limited to $25,000 of sales per year. The law allows most non-potentially hazardous foods, including many items that are not allowed in other states, like soda and some types of fruit juices. Some higher-risk products need to be tested to ensure they are safe, which costs about $20 – $30 per product, and each producer must get a business license, which costs $50 per year.
The Municipality of Anchorage has their own ordinance for their food program, so this law may not apply there.
Selling Where can you sell homemade food products?
The person selling the product needs to know detailed info about the product, including the ingredients used and how the food was prepared.
Allowed Foods What food products can you sell from home?
Any food is allowed as long as it is non-potentially hazardous (meaning it has the right combination of pH value and water activity level). However, certain items require lab testing to determine their pH and/or Aw values. Please see the list of allowed foods for more info on what’s required for specific items.
Only berry and rhubarb juices are allowed.
Limitations How will your home food business be restricted?
Business What do you need to do to sell food from home?
All cottage food operations need to get a business license before starting their business, which costs $50 per year.
No license from the health department is required.
Labeling How do you label cottage food products?
Chocolate Chip Cookies
"THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO STATE INSPECTION"
Forrager Cookie Company
123 Chewy Way, Cookietown, AK 73531
Phone: (123) 456-7890
The label must go on each product, but the statement “THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO STATE INSPECTION” can either be placed on the label or on a prominent placard at the point of sale. However, if making the food in a commercial kitchen, this statement is not necessary.
The name, address, and phone number can be replaced with your business license number.
Workplace Are there any home kitchen requirements?
Cottage food operations are allowed to make their products in a commercial kitchen, as well as their home kitchen.
Resources Where can you find more information about this law?
- Organization
- Department of Environmental Conservation
- Department
- Environmental Health - Food Safety & Sanitation
Environmental Health Officers
- Organization
- University of Alaska Fairbanks
- cesweb@alaska.edu
- Telephone
- (907) 474-5211
- Address
- 308 Tanana Loop, Room 101
P.O. Box 756180
Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6180
Cooperative Extension
- Organization
- Department of Environmental Conservation
- Department
- Environmental Health
- DEC.EH-Lab-ShippingReceiving@alaska.gov
- Telephone
- (907) 375-8231
- Address
- 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99507-1293 - About
- For product testing
Alaska State Environmental Health Laboratory
- June 2012
- Alaska Food Code Amendment
Joshua Alexie
Jenny
June
Comments
Heather Macias
So would someone not be allowed to make homemade macaroons?
Shawna Harkleroad
My 11 year old daughter would like to sell her cookies at Farmers Markets. Are there any restrictions because of her age?
Jerika George
Do cottage food laws apply to livestock, live or processed? If not are there laws in Alaska allowing the sale of livestock without a business license?
David Crabill
It does not apply to livestock. That is governed by its own rules, and I believe you would likely need a business license and as well other licenses/requirements. You should contact the ag dept.