Every prepackaged cottage food product you sell in Connecticut must carry a complete, compliant label — including a state-mandated disclaimer. Here's exactly what's required.
Connecticut law (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 21a-62g) requires all prepackaged cottage food products to be labeled with the following information. Every element is mandatory — omitting any one can result in a violation.
The name and street address of your cottage food operation. A P.O. box is not acceptable — you must use the physical address of your home kitchen. This enables authorities to locate your business in case of a recall or foodborne illness investigation.
The common or descriptive name of the cottage food product (e.g., "Chocolate Chip Cookies," "Strawberry Jam," "Roasted Cinnamon Almonds"). All capital letters or upper/lowercase are both acceptable.
All ingredients listed in descending order of predominance by weight. If you use a prepared item, you must list its sub-ingredients. For example: "soy sauce" alone is not acceptable — you must write "soy sauce (wheat, soybeans, salt)." You are not required to send products to a lab for ingredient analysis; you compile the list yourself based on your recipe.
The net weight (for solid products) or net volume (for semi-solid products like jams) of the cottage food product. You must also include the metric equivalent — for example, "8 oz (227 g)" or "12 fl oz (355 mL)." Conversion charts are available online.
You must identify any ingredients made from the major food allergens as specified by federal labeling requirements. You can either include the allergen in the ingredient list itself (e.g., "whole wheat flour") or add a "Contains:" statement after the ingredients (e.g., "Contains: wheat, milk, eggs"). See the full allergen list below.
The exact required statement, printed in at least 10-point type, in a clear and conspicuous manner. The complete wording is shown below. This is not optional and cannot be paraphrased.
Federal law (FALCPA, as updated by FASTER Act of 2021) requires you to identify any of the following nine major food allergens if they appear in your product as ingredients or sub-ingredients:
If your product contains tree nuts, you must identify the specific type of tree nut — "almonds," "pecans," or "walnuts," not just "nuts." For example, an acceptable ingredient list for nut bread would be: "Ingredients: wheat flour, water, almonds, salt, yeast." The following would not be acceptable: "Ingredients: flour, water, nuts, salt, yeast."
You can declare allergens using either method:
Method 1 — Within the ingredient list: Name the allergen source directly in the ingredients. Example: "whole wheat flour, sugar, butter (cream [milk], salt), eggs, vanilla extract" — this satisfies the requirement because each allergen is clearly identifiable.
Method 2 — "Contains" statement: Add a separate line after the ingredient list. Example: "Contains: wheat, milk, eggs." If you use this method, it must list all allergens in the product — not just some of them.
Every product label must show the net weight (solids) or net volume (liquids/semi-solids) in both U.S. customary and metric units. Common examples:
Baked goods: "Net Wt. 12 oz (340 g)" — weigh the product without packaging.
Jams and preserves: "Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)" — weight for semi-solid products in jars.
Dry mixes: "Net Wt. 16 oz (454 g)" — by weight, not volume.
Connecticut specifies one minimum font size: the cottage food disclaimer statement must be printed in at least 10-point type. While the statute does not specify minimum font sizes for other label elements, federal labeling standards (21 CFR 101) generally require that the statement of identity (product name) and net quantity be displayed in a prominent, conspicuous manner that's easily read under normal conditions. As a best practice, use at least 8-point type for all label text to ensure legibility.
For cakes that can't be easily packaged (wedding cakes, tiered birthday cakes), all labeling requirements must appear on the invoice delivered with the cake. Smaller cakes must be boxed, and the label must appear on the box.
If you use any prepared item (like soy sauce, chocolate chips, or pie filling), you must list its sub-ingredients in parentheses. Example: "chocolate chips (sugar, chocolate, cocoa butter, soy lecithin)."
Not required for cottage food sellers in Connecticut. Small businesses with less than $500,000 in total food sales and fewer than 100,000 units per product annually are exempt from federal Nutrition Facts requirements.
You are not required to send products to a laboratory for ingredient analysis. You compile your own ingredient list based on your recipe. However, DCP may request pH or water activity testing for borderline products.
Create compliant Connecticut cottage food labels with the required disclaimer pre-filled. Free with a SellFood account.
Create Free Account to Use This Tool →Get your labels right, then list your products on the marketplace built for Connecticut's cottage food entrepreneurs.
Create Your Free Account →