Wholesale → IDPH permit; low-acid canned foods also need federal process filing
2Three steps to compliant sales
A
Pick your proof
Either follow a tested recipe exactly (USDA / National Center for Home Food Preservation / any state Extension) or write a Cottage Food Safety Plan for each process, backed by a lab pH test showing 4.6 or below ($15–$40).
B
Register with the paperwork
Submit your recipe or safety plan + pH test with your registration. The safety plan is resubmitted annually; the pH test is good for 3 years — tomato products are tested yearly. Only use the tomato varieties in your tested recipe.
C
Pack, label, sell direct
Canned: boiling-water bath in Mason-style jars. Uncanned: new, clean, sealing containers held ≤ 41°F from kitchen to customer. Full cottage label + point-of-sale notice; sell direct in Illinois only.
3Quick-reference table
Item
Rule
Regulator
Acidified / fermented
Final equilibrium pH 4.6 or below. Approved recipe OR food-safety plan + lab pH test (per process, not per recipe).
Local health dept
Canned tomatoes & salsa
Approved recipe OR lab pH test; use only the tested varietals; test yearly.
Not allowed under cottage law — commercial licensed facility.
IDPH
Private well
Water-test result required with registration.
Local health dept
Label must-haves
Operation name + local government unit; registration # + county/municipality; common name; every ingredient (incl. sub-ingredients) by weight; federal allergen labeling (milk, eggs, wheat, peanuts, soy, fish, tree nuts, shellfish, sesame); processing date (month/day/year); net weight; and the home-kitchen statement.
IDPH / local health dept
4Frequently asked
Can I can green beans or corn?
Not as-is. Only if acidified (e.g., pickled green beans, corn relish) with a Cottage Food Safety Plan submitted.
Can I swap ingredients in an approved recipe?
No — approved recipes are tested only for the exact ingredients, and a substitution voids the approval.
Do I need a test for each recipe?
No. You need a plan for each distinct process, plus a pH test for the process — not for every recipe variation.
Why must my uncanned pickles be refrigerated?
They aren’t shelf-stable. Uncanned acidified and fermented foods must be stored, transported and sold at 41°F or below.
Printable checklist
CFPM + registration submitted
Approved recipe on file OR safety plan + lab pH test (≤ 4.6)
Tomato recipes: pH test/approved recipe and single tested varietal
Mason-style jars for canned goods; boiling-water bath only
Register with IDOR; grocery tax by delivery address
Sales tax: Groceries: Illinois’ 1% state grocery tax ended Jan 1, 2026, but many cities and counties (Chicago included) now levy their own 1% local grocery tax — check the rate for each delivery address. Register with the Illinois Department of Revenue (IDOR) through MyTax Illinois.
Selling on a marketplace: Cottage-food sales must be made by the registered operator (or a listed family member/employee) directly to the consumer, inside Illinois. Online listings work when the operator is clearly the seller and the home-kitchen notice appears at the point of sale. A platform can list and take payment, but should not take title, repack, or distribute the product.