Whole, uncut fresh vegetables sold direct from Iowa farms and gardens
Iowa Code 137F.1 exempts a produce stand or facility that sells only whole, uncut fresh fruits and vegetables from food establishment licensing — cutting, shredding, or bagging as pre-cut salad mix removes that protection.
Iowa's TCS definition specifically flags cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes, cut melons, and raw seed sprouts as time/temperature-control-for-safety foods — treat any vegetable you cut or sprout as a different, higher-scrutiny category than whole produce.
Pickled or canned vegetables go through the Canned Goods pathway with batch pH testing; dried vegetables go through Dried Goods; anything you can't place should go to DIAL for a direct answer before selling.
| Item | Rule | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Whole, uncut fresh vegetables | Exempt from food establishment licensing | Iowa Code 137F.1 |
| Cut leafy greens, cut tomatoes, cut melons | Treated as TCS food | Iowa Code 137F.1 (TCS definition) |
| Raw seed sprouts | Treated as TCS food | Iowa Code 137F.1 (TCS definition) |
| Pickled/canned vegetables | See Canned Goods — pH ≤4.60 required for cottage food | Iowa Code 137F.20 |
| Dried vegetables | See Dried Goods — cottage food eligible | Iowa Code 137F.20 |
No — cutting vegetables for a ready-to-eat tray moves them into TCS territory and out of the whole-produce exemption, generally requiring a licensed food establishment.
Yes — raw seed sprouts are specifically named as a TCS food in Iowa's own regulatory definitions due to their documented foodborne illness risk, unlike most other whole fresh vegetables.
Washing whole produce without cutting it generally keeps it within the whole, uncut exemption; the trigger is cutting or otherwise processing the vegetable, not basic cleaning.
That moves you into the Canned Goods category, where cottage food eligibility depends on testing each batch to pH 4.60 or below with a calibrated meter.