Label Requirements in Delaware

Required Label Elements

Under 16 Del. Admin. Code § 4458A (Section 8.2), every product sold by a Cottage Food Establishment must include all of the following information on its label. Sample labels must also be submitted and approved as part of your registration application.

1. Name of Cottage Food Establishment

   Your registered business name — the name under which your CFE is registered with the Division of Public Health.
2. Product Name

   The common or descriptive name of the product (e.g., "Chocolate Chip Cookies," "Strawberry Jam," "Peanut Brittle").
3. Producer Name, Phone Number & Email

   Your name (or business name), a working phone number, and email address. As of December 2023, your city/town is required but your full home address is no longer mandatory — you may use a P.O. Box.
4. Net Weight or Unit Count

   The net weight of the product (e.g., "Net Wt. 8 oz / 227g") or, if applicable, the unit count (e.g., "12 cookies"). If the product is sold by count, unit count may replace net weight.
5. Date of Production / Lot Number

   The date the product was made and/or a lot number that ties back to your production records. This enables traceability in the event of a recall.
6. Ingredient List

   A complete list of all ingredients in descending order by weight. If the product label is too small to print the full ingredient list, the list must be available to the consumer upon request — but including it on the label is strongly recommended.
7. Major Food Allergen Declarations

   The name of the food source for each major food allergen contained in the product, unless the allergen is already part of the common name of the ingredient (e.g., "milk" in "buttermilk" is self-evident). See the allergen section below for the full list.
8. Cottage Food Disclaimer Statement

   Delaware requires a specific disclaimer on every cottage food label. The exact required wording is shown below — it must appear on every product you sell.

Delaware Cottage Food Disclaimer

This exact statement must appear on every product label. It is required verbatim by 16 Del. Admin. Code § 4458A, Section 8.2.4:

Allergen Labeling

Delaware requires that you declare the presence of each major food allergen on your label. The nine major food allergens recognized under federal law (and referenced in Delaware's regulations) are:

You can declare allergens in two ways:

• Within the ingredient list: Include the allergen source in parentheses after the ingredient name — e.g., "flour (wheat), butter (milk)"
• With a "Contains" statement: Add a separate line below the ingredient list — e.g., "Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Soy"

Either method is acceptable. Many cottage food sellers use both for maximum clarity and customer trust. If your product is produced in a kitchen that also processes tree nuts, peanuts, or other allergens, consider adding a "May contain" advisory statement — this isn't legally required but is considered best practice.

Net Weight & Measurement

Your label must include the net weight (not including packaging) or the unit count of the product. Standard conventions:

• Use both U.S. customary and metric units for best practice (e.g., "Net Wt. 12 oz / 340g")
• For items sold by count (e.g., a dozen cookies, a 6-pack of muffins), unit count may replace net weight
• Measure accurately and consistently — a kitchen scale is an essential tool for any cottage food business
• Net weight should reflect the weight of the food product only, not the container or packaging

Font Size & Formatting

Delaware specifies minimum formatting standards for cottage food labels:

• Minimum font size: 10-point type for all label text
• Color contrast: Text must be printed in a color that provides clear contrast to the background of the label
• Packaging: All packaging materials must be food-grade quality

Example Label

Here's what a compliant Delaware cottage food label looks like with all required elements: