Dried Pods - What is 'processing' in your state?

Was watching a video on Youtube.  A grower was showing how he dries the pods that he sells.  He uses a solar dehydrator.  It confused me wildly.  Took a course at the University on the subject of processing food.  Part of it covered dehydrated foods.  In Kentucky, if you dehydrate then the food is considered processed.  All commercial food must be processed in an approved facility.  So unless you bring the sun indoors, I am thinking solar dehydrators are right out.

Now Kentucky our laws are kind of weird.  If you let something dry on the plant (often a bad idea) it -seems- to be considered produce.  But if you so much as poke a hole in the pod, then it is considered processed.  So maybe our state laws are different.  Anyway, got to thinking about 'sun dried tomato' and did a bit of searching.  Evidently, the term 'sun dried' is just marketing.  Dehydrated tomato just doesnt sell as well.  So those things in your bagel, probably not actually sun dried.

So started wondering about folk who sell dried pods.  Looked at photos of packaging and labeling.  Very few seemed to meet the various regulations on processed foods for commercial sales.  Some exceptions of course.  Puckerbutt seems to have its own commercial kitchen.  Pepper Lover listed dried pods and powders in the classified section.  Her labeling looks very professional and her reputation is great.  But for the most part, most of the dried pods I see being sold have none of the required labeling.  So gotta figure if they skipped the labeling they likely skipped some other details. I do not think Salsa Lady sells dried pods, but I know she has an approved facility for her hot sauce and salsas (great stuff btw).  So if she does sell dried pods, I am sure they follow the rules.  But what about all the others?

Could it be that other states do not consider dehydrated foods to be processed?  Maybe they consider them more like fresh produce?  I guess it is possible but I am starting to think some growers just dont realize dried foods are regulated just like hot sauce.

Thoughts?

 
 
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