Home based prepared foods business - advice needed

Hi MOL- I was wondering if anyone has experience with starting a prepared foods business, based at home, utilizing a commercial kitchen for production. The type of business where you go and sell at farmers markets and/ or street fairs. Specifically what are the legal guidelines in terms of licensing and/ or production? Thanks in advance to anyone offering their first hand experience and guidance!

Have you checked with the Health Department of the municipality in which the business will be located? They should be able to advise as to the laws/regulations impacting such businesses and what they look for in inspecting such businesses.

Meet with the health dept, the fines are heavy. We utilize a co-packer out of St. Augustine for our packaging, due to the large volume of product we go through. Even utilizing a commercial kitchen doesn't give you an 'automatic in' for being able to sell food products. You have to make sure the food products are packaged correctly, kept at certain temps at al times, etc.. The labels have to reflect the complete nutritional chart. Is it an acidified food or non-acidified food (pH level)? There are a bunch of hoops to jump through, and I've seen a number of people get hammered by the health dept as well as the FDA. They have no sense of humor (picture Mr. Smith in Matrix).

Thank you so much for the tips and advice!

I just heard something about a new law (maybe a proposed law) that allows home baking. I don't know what the limits are.