Ohio's Cottage Food Law lets Lima residents make and sell certain lower-risk foods from home without a food license, under the Ohio Department of Agriculture. Only foods on ODA's list qualify (jams, candy, dry mixes, non-potentially-hazardous baked goods), products must be labeled 'This product is home produced,' and out-of-state sales
There is no separate Lima cottage-food ordinance; the activity is governed by Ohio's Cottage Food Law, administered by the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA). A cottage food producer may make and sell designated cottage foods from home with no food license, but is subject to O.A.C. 901:3-20 rules on labeling, packaging, sales, and sampling. Only foods on ODA's list qualify — jams, jellies, fruit butters, candy, granola, popped popcorn, dry baking/cookie/soup/tea/seasoning mixes, roasted coffee, and 'non-potentially hazardous' baked goods (cookies, brownies, cakes, breads, fruit pies) — while acidified, low-acid canned, and potentially hazardous foods (cheesecake, cream pie, salsa, refrigerated items) are excluded. Labels must include a statement of identity, producer name and address, net weight (U.S. then metric), ingredients in
Selling a food not on the cottage-food list without the proper food license, mislabeling, using reduced-oxygen packaging, or selling out of state violates Ohio law; ODA may sample products and pursue misbranding or adulteration remedies under O.R.C. 3715.02(B).
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See how Lima's cottage food operations rules stack up against other locations.
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