Are freeze-dried foods eligible to be sold under Cottage Food Law.
If the product being freeze dried is not considered to be a Potentially Hazardous Foods or a Temperature Controlled for Safety Foods, it may be eligible to be sold under Michigan Cottage Food Law. Those products must be freeze-dried in a commercial freeze dryer and vacuum packaged. The finished freeze-dried food, when properly processed, will typically yield a water activity below 0.60.
Food products that are not eligible to be freeze dried and sold under Cottage Food Law include ice cream and other dairy products, meat or fish, cut melon, eggs, cooked and/or cut vegetables (including tomatoes and leafy greens), candies purchased from other Cottage Food vendors, and cheesecake. This list is not exhaustive.
Food products that may be eligible to be freeze dried and sold under Cottage Food Law include whole, uncut produce such as berries, snap peas, and mushrooms, and candies sourced from approved sources or made by the vendor.
MDARD Cottage Food Landing Page