artwork OK, so I spent the entire day trying to learn how to start my own food manufacturing business

Sam & Oliver

Sam & Oliver

Frustrating to say the least.

First I spent time on the phone with the Department of Health
They transferred me to the Department of Consumer Protection.
I get disconnected.
So I called back, and was told to visit the website before I do anything else... and they didn't seem to want to answer questions.

So...
I print off about 500 pages of codes and guidelines, regulations and compliance documentation.
I read most of it quickly, then go back to the site to see about licensing.

Here's the form I need to fill out:

http://www.ct.gov/dcp/lib/dcp/pdf/applications_added_2012/fme_application.pdf

I have questions right off the bat, so if anyone else did this, I need some answers and the DCP wasn't too helpful on the phone.

The application asks at the start:



Wholesale License to Manufacture Food - $20.00

1) A current sanitation inspection
2) A current potable water sample - (private wells only)
3) Approval (new facilities only)

Now, if this is an existing resteraunt, does it still need 1 and 2?


Then, further down, it asks for the business name, I believe this is where I can put a P.O. Box, or my house?

Then it goes on to ask:


LOCATIONS WHERE FOODS, OR SUPPLIES ARE PREPARED OR STORED



I assume this is where I put the kitchen, my house (freezer locations are there, and where I'll store the completed product)

Is this all correct?

Also, once I have this license, do I need to prove the water samples for each product I have in my lineup?
 
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ah, good point. I suppose so. I clean the containers and prep equipment at my house.

I suppose I don't have to have the certified kitchen re-tested? Shouldn't they be able to provide that, along with the visual inspection?
 
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Kalitarios said:
ah, good point. I suppose so. I clean the containers and prep equipment at my house.

I suppose I don't have to have the certified kitchen re-tested? Shouldn't they be able to provide that, along with the visual inspection?
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One would think that a "certified" kitchen, being that it IS certified, would have already passed inspection.
 
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I find that if I TRY to make things more difficult, I usually can. You should try to think these questions through and not nit pick them to death. It would speed up your process of going into business.

Hope you business works out.
 
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Kalitarios said:
Frustrating to say the least.

First I spent time on the phone with the Department of Health
They transferred me to the Department of Consumer Protection.
I get disconnected.
So I called back, and was told to visit the website before I do anything else... and they didn't seem to want to answer questions.
Welcome to the world of business~
So...
I print off about 500 pages of codes and guidelines, regulations and compliance documentation.
I read most of it quickly, then go back to the site to see about licensing.

Here's the form I need to fill out:

http://www.ct.gov/dc...application.pdf

I have questions right off the bat, so if anyone else did this, I need some answers and the DCP wasn't too helpful on the phone.

The application asks at the start:



Wholesale License to Manufacture Food - $20.00

1) A current sanitation inspection --- the restaurant's latest health inspection
2) A current potable water sample - (private wells only) some cities/town use a well system, they have the test records on file, get copies from them, but you'll have to call the city to find out what type water system they have
3) Approval (new facilities only)

Now, if this is an existing resteraunt, does it still need 1 and 2? 1-yes 2-maybe


Then, further down, it asks for the business name, I believe this is where I can put a P.O. Box, or my house? probably

Then it goes on to ask:


LOCATIONS WHERE FOODS, OR SUPPLIES ARE PREPARED OR STORED where the food is prepared would be the physical location of the restaurant, where supplies are stored refers to raw ingredients and supplies. You do not want to list your home as this. You should have a separate storage shelf and separate freezer at the restaurant for your supplies. Storing finished product at your home is OK, but usually not raw product or supplies.



I assume this is where I put the kitchen, my house (freezer locations are there, and where I'll store the completed product)

Is this all correct? see above

Also, once I have this license, do I need to prove the water samples for each product I have in my lineup? No, your license is different than the water test. As stated before, well water tests are periodic, different tests at different frequencies, but it is the responsibility of the facility (or city) to do those tests, you just have to get copies of the results and have them for your inspector to see.
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Kalitarios said:
I personally do NOT use well or city water in preparing any of my recipes. Any time it has called for water in any way, I use distilled bottled water.
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Inspectors will not like you cleaning equipment at home. You can probably take some equipment home when not in use, but when you go to the restaurant to process, everything will have to be wash, rinsed, sanitized on-site before you begin processing. It's OK to use distilled water in your products, but water also is in contact with the equipment, which is where the restaurant would either be on city water, or they would have their own well water tests if on a private well (Very inlikely scenario...unless the restaurant was way out of town, say at a vineyard or something.)
 
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Thanks for all that info! That cleared it up.

Hey, if i order bulk peppers and they come already sealed in a container packaged from a plant, can i just cart the unopened bucket to the kitchen? That way i can just travel with the sealed from the plant ingredients and open them for the first time at the resteraunt.
 
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yes, just like product you'd buy at a store or wherever. It's up to the AHJ whether open containers can be removed from the processing site and brough back. I'm guessing they'd not be too happy about that. Too much risk of contamination, etc...
 
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Don't forget to check to see if there are any exemptions. These folks know a heck of a lot more than I do, and have done a heck of a lot more research than I have, but I saw that Louisiana, among a handful of states, has an inspection exemption for pickled goods.... not sure of the nuances, just might be worth looking into.
 
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Phil's "pickle" reference is probably referring to Cottage Industry bills which are being passed in many states. Regulations vary, but it generally refers to low risk food items like candy, bread, sugar jams, fruit pies and pickles. It's usually veryspecific as to what is considered "low risk" and if the food item is not on the list, fu-get-aboud-it.

Hot sauces are usually not included on the list of foods allowed, but as stated....it's up to the state or other AHJ. Definitely worth checking out, though!
 
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I'm planning on using distilled water when I start doing microbatches in a small commercial kitchen I'm gonna rent a couple days a month. I just don't want to deal with anyone asking where the H20 in my sauces is coming from. Distilled water is cheap - I'm thinking it'll be worth the cost to spare the headache, and I'm not using much water in 2-3 gallon batches.

As for Phil's pickle (lol) I wish hot sauce was included, but last I heard hot packed acidic is off the list at least for CA.
 
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Kalitarios said:
Do dry rub / spice blends count like liquid foods do?
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for the home production law changes? (e.g. "cottage laws")

I don't know honestly - I would think not. For hot sauce it's not about liquid...it's about being a hot-packed acidic product/pH controlled. Shelf life must be established, ingredients list cleared, etc. Independent lab testing, etc,. At least in CA that's what we go through.
 
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been reading posts from Dorkasaurus about dried peppers being responsible for salmonella outbreaks and they are no longer allowed to be dried and sold as a cottage industry......
 
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