Cottage Food Q& A

A: To be a legal cottage food product, your product must be classified as non potentially hazardous with a pH level ≤4.6. or water activity level ≤ 0.85. Elderberries have an average pH of 4.8 therefore considered a low-acid food and a risk for botulism if jarred or home canned.  Home canning recipes are developed for specific products and are not interchangeable to other products. The pH safe for canning of fruits and fruit products is 4.6. Currently, there are no home-canning recommendations for home canning elderberries, sauce, syrup, or juice. The one exception is the canning of elderberry jam or jelly. To safely home can it, you must weigh ingredients to assure the correct sugar and elderberry ratio is used to control for water activity. Read the special precautions for elderberry jam or jelly from the University of Wisconsin.

A: The food list offered by Minnesota Farmers' Market Association and the Minnesota Cottage Food Producer Association is a guideline of food allowed or not allowed under the cottage food law licesning exemption. The food list is updated freuqently and posted on the Minnesota Cottage Food Producer Assoociation's webpage.  Cottage food producers are responsible for ensuring their products meet the legal requirements of the law. Final legal determination for cottage food products rests with MDA. If a food item is not on this list, contact your local Minnesota Department of Agriculture Food Inspector by calling (651) 201-6027 or email  FoodLicensingLiaison@state.mn.us.