FDPD - Food Program - Home Processor

Starting a home-based food business

If you are interested in producing and selling food products for human consumption from your home, you will need to first have your home kitchen inspected before doing so. This includes anyone selling to retail stores, restaurants, or directly to consumers. This also includes anyone opening and repackaging food products or ingredients purchased from other locations. 

The following steps will help you determine if you qualify for producing and selling foods under the home processing program and will also guide you through the application process.  

Please note, if the kitchen where you are planning to produce is in a separate location from your home kitchen (i.e. garage, basement, etc.) or in a separate building on your property then your business will not qualify under the home processing program and will be considered a commercial business. Please contact our office at 984-236-4820 for more information on starting a commercial business and additional requirements.

Step 1. Verify that your product can be manufactured from the home.

  Low risk foods are the only products allowed to be processed in your home kitchen. Low risk food products are items that are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration or freezing. These low-risk food products may include:

  • Baked goods that do not require refrigeration
  • Jams, jellies, and preserves
  • Candies
  • Dried mixes/Spices
  • Some liquids (i.e. ice tea, coffee, lemonade, etc.)
  • Some sauces (i.e. balsamic dressing, etc.)
  • Acid and acidified foods (i.e. pickles, BBQ sauce, etc.)
  • Freeze dried fruits/vegetables

 Sauces, freeze-dried foods (excluding candies), and foods that you are planning to dehydrate or dry that are allowed under the home processing program will be required to first be evaluated to determine if they are shelf stable. If you are planning on producing pickles or other acidified food products, please contact our office at (984) 236-4820. For more information on product testing, you may also visit the NC State University Extension website or go to the “Product Testing” section below.

 High risk food products ARE NOT PERMITTED to be produced in your home kitchen and can only be produced commercially under our routine inspection program. This also includes products that are purchased prepackaged from a retailer or wholesaler that require refrigeration. High risk products include, but are not limited to the following:

  • Refrigerated or frozen products
  • Low-acid canned foods (i.e. jarred fruits, vegetables, etc.)
  • Dairy Products
  • Seafood products
  • Bottled water/Juice Products
  • Bakery products with cream or cream cheese fillings; cheesecakes

 If you are uncertain if your canned goods are low-acid or acidified or are interested in starting a commercial business, please contact an Agricultural Compliance Officer at (984) 236-4820 for guidance.

Step 2. Do you have a pet that comes into your home at any time (even if only at night)?

  If so, you cannot manufacture foods from your home kitchen as this practice is a violation of the Good Manufacturing Practices (21 CFR 110). As a home processor processing food for sales, you are viewed as a Food Manufacturing Facility.

Step 3. Check your home processing area to ensure it meets federal food safety requirements.

  Your home processing area must meet the standards set by:

  Additional regulations are required for pickled (acidified) foods:

 Key Requirements:

  • Food contact surfaces must be smooth and easily cleanable.
  • The home must be free of insects, rodents and other pests including privately owned pets (see step 2).
  • Kitchen and bathroom sinks must have adequate hot and cold running water and must be easily accessible from the processing area. In accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), the kitchen sink can only be used for food preparation. Hand washing must be done in a separate sink or bathroom sink.
  • Thermometers must be kept in the refrigerator and freezer to monitor temperatures.
  • Waste must be carried away from the house in an acceptable fashion (sewer or septic system). Areas in and around the processing area must also be maintained in a condition that will prevent any of the food products, equipment, and supplies from becoming contaminated.
  • All light bulbs in the kitchen must have protective shields made of non-glass material or have shatter-proof bulbs.

  Please see the “Additional Information” section for details on the inspection process and what to expect during the actual visit to your home.

Step 4. Contact your local planning/zoning department

  Once you have determined that you qualify for a home-based food business, it is required that you check with your local/county planning department to determine if you are permitted to operate a food business from your home and if permits are required. You should also check with your Homeowners Association (HOA) or your leasing office (rented home or apartments) to ensure a home-based business is allowed. County government link: https://www.ncacc.org

Step 5. Municipal/Well water

 If your home uses municipal/city water, you will need to provide a copy of your most recent water bill or provide a letter from your leasing office if your bill is paid through another party (i.e. leasing office, HOA, etc.). Bills and letters should include the companies name, address, and contact information and should clearly show the service/home address where products will be produced from.

If your only water source comes from a private well, then the water must be tested for coliform bacteria and E-coli before an inspection is scheduled. Test results must be within one (1) year of submitting your application and must be attached with your completed application. Please keep in mind that store-bought test kit will not be accepted. Well water testing must be done by an agency that is certified in well water testing. It is recommended that you contact your local health department for well water testing, however. Testing is also available through private companies as well. 

Step 6. Develop your business plan

 Provide a brief description of your business to be included with your application to become a home processor. All information below must be included in your business plan and must be as detailed as possible. Please only include the following information in your business plan:

  • Provide a detailed list of specific types of products by name that will be produced
  • Complete and detailed list of ingredients used and the suppliers
  • A plan for storage of supplies, equipment, ingredients, and finished product
  • A general production flow including procedures and equipment used
  • Describe how your product(s) will be transported (i.e. personal vehicle, food truck, etc.)
  • List of potential locations where you plan to sell your product (i.e. retail from home, farmers market, local businesses, etc.)

***Note: If your business plan is missing any of the above information or includes an excessive amount of information that does not cover what is required above, then it will not be accepted. 

Some products may also require additional evaluation. For example, “Apple Butter” would need to be evaluated because there is no standard of identity for this product as on the other hand, “Apple Jelly” would not need further evaluation.

 The NCDA&CS Marketing Division may also be able to provide additional help developing a business plan. https://www.ncagr.gov/divisions/marketing

Step 7. Food product labels

  Food product labels shall be required if products are individually packaged for self-service sale or sold wholesale to retail stores, distributors, or restaurants. Labels shall also be required if products are shipped using postal services such as USPS or FEDEX. Any products to be sold to consumers must be properly packaged in food grade material that will adequately protect foods from contamination. The label must be affixed to the package bearing the following:

  1. Product name
  2. Manufacturers name and address 
  3. Net weight of the product in ounces/pounds and the gram weight equivalent 
  4. Complete list of ingredients in order of predominance by weight

  On a product label, the ingredients are listed in order of predominance, with the ingredients used in the greatest amount first, followed in descending order by those in smaller amounts. Ingredients such as “eggs” or “salt” that are single source ingredients are to be listed using the common name of the ingredient. In the ingredient statement, if an ingredient is made up of more than one component, all subcomponents are to be listed in parentheses immediately following the name of the ingredient. For example, “Butter” would be listed as Butter (cream, salt). The easiest way to know what needs to be listed is to look at the ingredient statement on the ingredient package and copy it into your label. Nutritional labels are not required under the home processor program, however. If certain claims are made about the product (i.e. low fat, sugar free, etc.) then a nutritional label must also be added to your product. 

Please note that all allergens must be listed in the ingredient statement or in a “Contains” statement immediately following the ingredients (ex. Contains: Milk, Egg, Almonds, ect.). Allergens include: Milk, Egg, Tree Nuts (specific kind of nut), Wheat, Soy, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Fish (specific species of fish), Shellfish.

  The only exemption to having an affixed label is if the product being produced is sold on demand directly to the consumer. This may include picking up orders from your home, delivering finished products to the consumers, or delivering products to special events (i.e. weddings, birthday parties, etc.). Selling products from farmers markets or similar venues may also be exempt from having a label as long as you are handing the product to the consumer (i.e. from behind the counter), however. Ingredient information must be available upon request by the consumer.

  More information on labeling requirements is available at:

Step 8: Complete the Application for Home Processing Inspection

  Complete the Application for Home Processor Inspection by clicking one of the links below. You can either mail or email the finished application along with the required documents to the mailing or email address listed below.
 

Email the completed form to:

homeprocessing@ncagr.gov

or

Mail the completed form to:

Kaye J. Snipes
169 Boone Square Street, #168
Hillsborough, NC  27278 

 

If you choose to email your application, please ensure that your application and supporting documents can be attached in PDF or Microsoft word format. Pictures pasted in the body of the email or website links to these forms (i.e. google docs, etc.) will not be accepted as the links may not open for all parties and pictures pasted in the body of the email do not print appropriately. Please check your email periodically for correspondence from our Regulatory Specialists as inspection scheduling are typically made via email. If you choose to mail in your application, it is highly recommended that you do a follow-up at least a week after mailing it to ensure that your application was successfully received.

  Within eight (8) to twelve (12) weeks of receiving your application, a Food Regulatory Specialist will contact you to arrange a home processing facility inspection, however. Please keep in mind that this is only an approximate time frame, and it may take longer than twelve weeks for an inspector to contact applicants, especially during the holiday seasons or if they have a busier than normal schedule. This timeframe is also subject to change at any time as the scope of the home processing program grows throughout the state of North Carolina.

  For applicants without email access, appointments will be made by phone. If you have additional questions regarding home processing, please contact our office at (984) 236-4820 or send them to homeprocessing@ncagr.gov.

 

Product Testing

  Products that fall under the following categories below may require testing for pH (acidity) or Aw (water activity) levels:

  • Acid/Acidified foods
  • Dressings/sauces
  • Homemade Cream Cheese Frostings
  • “Moist” breads/cakes, and some pies
  • Freeze dried foods (not including candies)
  • Any questionable products

  Once complete, the laboratory where your product was tested will provide you with a Process Authority Letter. A copy of this letter must be submitted along with your application for review. Additionally, applicants planning on producing acidified food products may be required to take an Acidified Food Course and must also provide a Certificate of Completion along with your application.

For more information on the Acidified Food Course, please contact NC State University at 919-513-2090. Product testing is available through N.C. State University Extension Program or may be available through certified commercial labs close to your area.

Additional Information

The Inspection Process

  A home-based kitchen inspector checks the kitchen to be sure it is clean, constructed of suitable materials and is free of any pest activity (insect or rodent) including pets. Remember that indoor pets would also be considered pests and are not permitted under the home processing program.

  Standard household equipment and appliances are acceptable. The equipment and appliances can be used for both personal and commercial use. Standard household sinks are acceptable. The kitchen should be free of decorative materials which could collect dust. Running water at a suitable temperature and pressure is required. There is not a specific temperature requirement for hot water, as long as it is hot enough to accomplish cleaning and sanitizing of equipment and utensils.

  Waste should be conveyed away from the house in an acceptable fashion (Sewer or Septic Tank). Any lights in the kitchen or any processing or packaging areas should be shielded against accidental breakage.

The inspection will be focused on the kitchen and other areas where processing and packaging of products may take place. Areas of the house in which materials, ingredients and equipment are stored will also be inspected. Inspectors may also walk around the exterior of the house to verify that the foundation is intact and will not allow for the entry of pests.

A permit is not issued, but inspectors will provide the home processor with a copy of the inspection report and the “Notice of Inspection” showing that they have been inspected. The inspector will also alert the homeowner to any possible violations of the N.C. Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Any major violations found during the inspection may disqualify you from having a home-based food business. Please note, any violations of the above after you have been inspected may result in further actions from local, county, state, and federal agencies.

Other Considerations

-   File for a tax number

  There are several types of tax numbers. If a business is planning to have sales, a Sales & Use Tax number (NC-BR) is required. Businesses having employees are required to obtain a Federal Employer Identification number (SS-4 form) along with a N.C. withholding tax number. The N.C. Business License Information Office can provide application forms to businesses for these numbers.

-   Register business name

  The type of business structure determines where a business name (assumed name) should be registered. A Certificate of Assumed Name for sole proprietorships and partnerships must be filed with the Register of Deeds in the county or counties where businesses plan to operate. Corporations or Limited Liability Companies must register their business names with the N.C. Secretary of State, Corporations Division.

-   Apply for a UPC code

  Many retailers now require a Uniform Product Code (UPC) for each product they carry. A UPC barcode allows automated checkout stands to read the name of the manufacturer and the specific product from the barcode. To apply for UPC barcode, visit the GS1 US website or you may contact the company directly.

 GS1 US 
 300 Charles Ewing Boulevard
 Ewing, NJ 08628
 609-620-0200
https://www.gs1us.org/

-   Marketing Assistance

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