Joint Release from University of Illinois Extension serving DeWitt, Macon and Piatt counties and Macon County Health Department.
Caitlin Mellendorf, registered dietitian and nutrition and wellness educator has received many questions this summer on food business, particularly around canned foods. “Food preservation, particularly canning, continues to grow in popularity,” says Mellendorf. “As people are getting familiar with it, many are considering turning their hobby into a business.”
In Illinois, there are multiple opportunities for food business, from small operations through Cottage Food Law to more complex, larger operations selling canned foods, animal products, eggs, and other foods in wholesale settings.
Going from the initial idea of a food business to becoming an active business is not quick. As Kathy Wade, Director of Environmental Health & Emergency Preparedness at the Macon County Health Department explains, “This is a process that takes time in the planning, long before the actual food item is served. A food business can be successful, but you must follow all the guidelines from the beginning to make it successful.”
One form of food business is through Cottage Food Operations. As a Cottage Food Operator, an entrepreneur can sell certain home-prepared food and drink at farmers markets. Operators need to follow regulations approved by Cottage Food Law and any specific requirements from local health departments. To get started, read about approved foods, language needed on packages, food safety requirements, and more from the Garden Gates to Dinner Plates website through University of Illinois Extension and register with the Macon County Health Department by completing the Cottage Food Application form.
The Home Kitchen Act – or “Cupcake Law” – allows residents to sell home-prepared, non-potentially hazardous baked goods, such as breads, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, and high-acid fruit pies. Since only some areas of Macon County have passed an ordinance for this Act, check with the Macon County Health Department for help determining if an ordinance was passed for where you live.
Both Cottage Food Operations and the Home Kitchen Act promote smaller scale, home-prepared food business. For other types of food production and processing, entrepreneurs will be working with county, state, and potentially federal agencies.
In order to process or slaughter meat or meat products for sale to the public, contact the Illinois Department of Agriculture for regulations, applications, and other information. For dairy and dairy products, shellfish, seafood, fishery products, and juice, register with the Illinois Department of Public Health as a Wholesale and Manufacturing Processing Facility.
For both acidified and low-acid canned foods, entrepreneurs must attend a Better Process Control School, register with the Illinois Department of Public Health as a Wholesale and Manufacturing Processing Facility, and register with the Food and Drug Administration in order to sell across state lines.
Wade notes, “We will work with any prospective business owners from the beginning to the opening inspection, each step along the way. We are here to be a resource and a helping hand in understanding all of the codes and requirements.”
For more information or to get started on your food business, contact the Macon County Health Department at maconcountyhealth.org or 217-423-6988.
Source: Caitlin Mellendorf, MS, RD, Nutrition and Wellness Educator, University of Illinois Extension
Source: Kathy Wade, LEHP, REHS, RS, Director of Environmental Health & Emergency Preparedness, Macon County Health Department
ABOUT EXTENSION: Illinois Extension leads public outreach for University of Illinois by translating research into action plans that allow Illinois families, businesses, and community leaders to solve problems, make informed decisions, and adapt to changes and opportunities.