Canned Goods
Low-acid and acidified foods carry federal process rules: home canning cannot be sold.
Licensed Facility RequiredpH 4.6Acid line
Part 113Low-acid canned
Part 114Acidified foods
0Home-canned sales
What is covered and what needs a different path
What this guide covers
- Jams and jellies (high sugar) under cottage rules
- Foods made in a licensed kitchen with a process authority
- Commercially canned items from a registered facility
- Dehydrated or dry-packed shelf-stable foods
Needs a different path
- Home-canned vegetables, beans, soups or meats
- Pickles, salsa and sauces unless from a licensed facility
- Canning without a filed process (FCE and SID registration)
- Any product sold wholesale from a residential kitchen
Three compliance steps
A
Test the acidity
Foods at pH 4.6 or below stay acid; above that they are low-acid. Pickles and salsas are acidified foods.
B
Use a licensed kitchen
DPH wholesale permit (105 CMR 500) plus FDA food-canning-establishment registration for low-acid and acidified products.
C
Get a process authority
A recognized process authority sets and documents the scheduled process; keep batch records.
Quick reference
| Item | Rule | Regulator |
|---|---|---|
| Low-acid canned | Registered plant and scheduled process | FDA 21 CFR 113 |
| Acidified foods | Process filed; trained supervisor | FDA 21 CFR 114 |
| Manufacturing permit | Needed for wholesale and licensed retail production | DPH 105 CMR 500 |
| Jam and jelly | Non-TCS; permitted in residential kitchens | 105 CMR 590 |
| Labeling | Ingredients, allergens, net weight | FDA; 105 CMR 520 |
Frequently asked questions
Can I sell my grandmother's pickles?Not from a home kitchen. Acidified foods need a licensed facility and a filed process.
What about jam?Jam and jelly are standard cottage foods when they meet standards of identity.
Who can set a canning process?A process authority, such as a university food science lab.
Printable checklist
- pH tested and recorded
- Process authority letter on file
- FCE and SID registration filed
- DPH wholesale permit issued
- Batch records kept
- Allergens on label
- Recall plan written