Preserves

Jams, jellies, fruit butters & marmalades

Cottage Food Eligible
4.6pH ceiling for high-acid preserves
0state license for tested-recipe preserves
No capon annual sales
IN onlyshipping/delivery

What's Covered  /  What Needs a Different Path

✓ Covered here

  • Jams, jellies, fruit butters, and marmalades made from a tested, published recipe at or below pH 4.6
  • Sales in person, by phone, online, and in-state delivery/shipping
  • Flavor variations that keep the same tested acid/sugar ratios

✗ Needs a different path

  • Low-sugar or altered recipes that haven't been separately tested for safe acidity
  • Savory, low-acid relishes or spreads that don't meet the pH 4.6 threshold
  • Shipping preserves outside Indiana under the cottage exemption

Three Steps to Compliance

A

Start from a tested recipe

Use a recipe tested by a source like Purdue Extension or the National Center for Home Food Preservation, and don't substitute ingredients or reduce sugar/acid without retesting.

B

Confirm your acidity

High-acid preserves at or below pH 4.6 are the cottage-eligible category; if you're unsure, have a batch tested.

C

Label completely

Include ingredients, net weight, recipe/process notes, and the home-produced disclaimer on every jar.

Quick Reference

ItemRuleRegulator
Jams/jellies/fruit butters (tested recipe)Cottage-eligible, no licenseIC 16-42-5.3
Altered/low-sugar recipesRequires separate acidity verificationPurdue Extension
Savory low-acid spreadsNot cottage-eligible – licensed facilityFDA 21 CFR 113
LabelingIngredients, net weight, disclaimerISDH

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make a low-sugar jam and sell it?

Only if that specific low-sugar formulation has been separately tested for safe acidity – don't assume a standard recipe's safety carries over.

What pH should my jam hit?

At or below pH 4.6 to qualify as a safe, high-acid preserve under cottage food rules.

Is there a cap on preserve sales?

No revenue cap currently applies to Home-Based Vendor sales in Indiana.

Can I ship jam to family in Ohio?

No – cottage law limits delivery and shipping to destinations inside Indiana.

Printable Checklist

Use only tested, published preserve recipes
Verify pH is at or below 4.6
Avoid untested ingredient or sugar substitutions
Label ingredients, net weight, and disclaimer
Complete an ANSI-accredited food handler course
Sell and ship within Indiana only