Texas Cottage Food Law: Food Safety Training Requirements

Making food at home and then selling it to other people or businesses, is known as cottage food.

Cottage food businesses have become increasingly popular as people want to know where their food comes from and who makes it.

Each state has its own cottage food laws, some of which require food safety training to start a cottage food business.

This article discusses the Texas cottage food law, and whether you need food safety training to sell homemade food.

Texas cottage food production

Under the Texas cottage food law, you can operate a cottage food business and sell certain foods directly to consumers.

Allowed cottage foods include:

baked goods without cream, custard, or meat fillings
candy
nuts and unroasted nut butters
fruit butters, canned jam or jelly, and fruit pies
dehydrated or frozen raw and uncut fruits and vegetables
popcorn, cereal, and granola
pickled fruits and vegetables
plant-based acidified canned goods
roasted coffee or dry tea
fermented vegetable products

To sell these foods, they must be packaged and labeled with certain information, depending on the food.

Texas does not regulate cottage food businesses like they do foodservice establishments, so you don’t need a permit or license, and health departments cannot inspect your cottage food production operation.

Summary

Under the Texas cottage food law, you can sell foods that don’t require time-temperature controls for safety directly to consumers. Texas doesn’t regulate cottage food production operations like food establishments, so you don’t need a license or permit.

Do you need food safety training to sell homemade food in Texas?

Cottage food operations don’t have to comply with the Texas Food Establishment Rules, which require that all food workers earn a food handler card.

However, Texas still requires that you complete an accredited basic food safety education or training program for food handlers.

While Texas prohibits you from selling foods that require time and temperature controls and that are more prone to bacterial contamination like animal products and cut fruits and vegetables, it’s still important that you know how to prepare and handle approved cottage foods safely (1).

Texas recognizes ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited food handler training — such as FoodSafePal’s — to meet this food safety training requirement.

Earn Your Texas Food Handler Card for Selling Homemade Goods

ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-Accredited

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You can complete FoodSafePal’s online food handler training program in under two hours.

The course covers essential food safety topics, including food hazards, good personal hygiene, handwashing, and cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

To demonstrate your knowledge on these topics, you must pass a test to earn your food handler certificate and card.

The test consists of 40 multiple-choice questions, and you need to answer at least 28 (70%) to pass. You get a second try if you don’t pass the first time.

After you earn your certificate, you can print or save it as a PDF for your records as proof of the training.

Summary

Texas requires that you successfully complete an accredited basic food safety education or training program for food handlers to operate a cottage food business.

The bottom line

Cottage food businesses are becoming increasingly popular in Texas.

While the state doesn’t regulate cottage food businesses in the same way they regulate food establishments, you still must successfully complete a basic food safety education or ANAB-accredited food handler training program.