What does one have to do to get her kitchen certified for jelly and jam making that is going to be sold?
By FAYE GODFREY from Carroll County MD
I would start by calling your state Health Department. If they aren't the ones to handle this, they should be able to point you in the right direction.
In Missouri, it is regulated by the county health dept. I had to put in a seperate kitchen in my basement. Things required here were a 3 sink set up for washing, rinsing and disenfecting, and a 4th seperate sink for handwashing. All surfaces had to be smooth (no carpet), no textured ceilings. They also had to test my water, and I had to be clean!
Also the checked to verify I had gloves on hand to wear while handling food, the temp of my oven and refrig, and they also checked my frig for bacteria. Also the checked that I had no lead water pipes, no peeling paint, nothing above my stove (such as a shelf or cabinet) that would allow for things to fall off of and onto the contents of what I was cooking on the stove. If you are processing foods that you grow, they may also test your garden soil for certain bacterias as well.
The 2 best places to check- they will tell you where to go is they can't help you is the local or state AG Dept (the section that deals with Farmer's Market/Flea Market), or possibly your area's Chamber of Commerce. They may know because you'll have to get a business license. Hope this helps
