Dehydrated and freeze-dried fruit, vegetables, snacks and dry mixes
aw ≤ 0.85Target water activity
No tomato/melonDried or freeze-dried barred
CottageRegistration required
In-stateDirect sales only
1What’s covered & what needs more
Covered under this path
Dehydrated or freeze-dried fruit and vegetables (apples, berries, kale chips, peppers)
Dry mixes, soup mixes, granola and trail mix
Dehydrated cut leafy greens and dehydrated garlic
Dried cultivated mushrooms (processed → cottage, not farm-exempt)
Needs a different path
Dehydrated or freeze-dried tomato or melon → prohibited under cottage law
Jerky and any meat, poultry, fish or seafood → IDOA-inspected facility
Freeze-dried dairy or egg products → not allowed as cottage food
Wild-foraged mushrooms → banned at markets and under cottage law
Whole dried beans/grains/nuts → farm-exempt if unprocessed (see Grains, Nuts)
2Three steps to compliant sales
A
Get certified
Every person who prepares or packages your food needs an ANSI-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) certificate — about 8 hours, proctored exam, $100–$300, valid 5 years. A basic food-handler card does not count.
B
Register with your local health department
Register in the county (or Chicago) where you live: annual, capped at $50, no routine kitchen inspection. Submit a label for each product category, your CFPM, and a water test if you’re on a private well. Allow up to six weeks. One registration = one home kitchen.
C
Label, sign, and sell direct
Pre-package with the required label and post the home-kitchen notice at the point of sale (8×10 in. placard in person; on the product page online). Sell direct to consumers anywhere in Illinois — farmers markets, online, delivery, pickup, in-state shipping of non-TCS foods with a tamper-evident seal. No wholesale, no resale, no out-of-state.
Dehydrated garlic doesn’t need acidification (fresh garlic for oil/vinegar does).
IDPH
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 freeze-dry tomatoes instead of dehydrating them?
No. Freeze-drying is a form of dehydration, so anything barred from dehydrating is barred from freeze-drying.
Do I need a water-activity test?
Not required by law for dehydrated foods, but a health department may ask, and it protects you if a product is questioned.
Can I sell freeze-dried candy?
Only if it contains no prohibited ingredients (dairy, eggs, meat) beyond the limited baked-good/candy exceptions — check your ingredients against the prohibited list first.
Can I ship dried goods?
Yes, within Illinois, for non-TCS foods with a tamper-evident seal.
Printable checklist
CFPM + registration
Confirm no tomato, melon, meat, dairy or egg product in any item
Aim for aw ≤ 0.85; keep dehydrator logs
Only cultivated mushrooms, with source records
Label: ingredients, allergens, processing date, net weight, reg #
Tamper-evident seals for shipped orders
Register with IDOR; grocery tax by delivery address
Home-kitchen notice at point of sale online
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.