What You Can Sell in Georgia — Cottage Food Guide

The Governing Standard

The "Non-Potentially Hazardous" Standard

Georgia's cottage food law allows home kitchen production of foods that are classified as non-potentially hazardous (non-PHF) — meaning food that does not require time and/or temperature control for safety and can be stored safely at room temperature without refrigeration.

This standard is the dividing line between what you can sell from your home kitchen and what requires a licensed commercial facility. If a product needs a refrigerator to stay safe, it is a potentially hazardous food (PHF) and is not eligible under Georgia's cottage food law, regardless of how it is packaged or described.

The Core Test

Can this product sit safely at room temperature?

If yes — and it is on Georgia's approved product list — it is generally eligible as cottage food. If it needs a refrigerator to stay safe, it is a potentially hazardous food and cannot be produced or sold under Georgia's cottage food law from a home kitchen.

Georgia's Approved Product List

What Georgia Allows

The Georgia Department of Agriculture maintains an approved product list. All of the following are permitted for home kitchen production and sale under Georgia cottage food rules. See the Shelf-Stable Foods and Beverages pages for deeper guidance on specific subcategories.

🍞

Breads & Baked Goods

🍬

Candy & Confections

Candies and confections
Fudge (shelf-stable varieties)
Popcorn and popcorn balls
Cotton candy

🫙

Jams, Jellies & Preserves

Jams and jellies
Preserves and conserves
Marmalades
Fruit pies (shelf-stable)

🌿

Herbs, Spices & Dry Mixes

Dry herbs and herb blends
Spice blends and seasonings
Dry soup and stew mixes
Baking mixes and dry batters

🥜

Nuts & Snacks

Coated and uncoated nuts
Trail mixes
Granola and cereal mixes
Dried fruits

🍶

Vinegars

Vinegar (plain)
Flavored vinegars (herb, fruit, honey)

Not Permitted

What Georgia Prohibits

These product categories are classified as potentially hazardous or are otherwise excluded from Georgia's cottage food law. Selling them from a home kitchen is not permitted — a licensed commercial facility is required.

🥒

Pickles & Acidified Foods

Acidified foods require pH testing, process authority review, and commercial production controls. GDA explicitly excludes pickles, hot sauce, and similar products.

🌶️

Hot Sauce & Salsa

Cooked vegetable products like tomato sauce, salsa, and hot sauce are prohibited. GDA states these require "significant federal and state training and licensing requirements."

🍑

Fruit Butters

Explicitly prohibited by GDA. Unlike jams and jellies, fruit butters lack sufficient sugar and pectin to ensure shelf safety. This includes peach butter, apple butter, and similar spreads.

🥛

Dairy-Primary Products

Cheeses, yogurt, and dairy-primary products require temperature control and are potentially hazardous. Note: eggs, milk, and butter are permitted as ingredients in allowed products.

🥩

Meat & Jerky

All meat and poultry products are regulated at the federal level by USDA and require federally inspected facilities. Not permitted under any state cottage food law.

🧃

Fresh Juice

Unpasteurized juice is a potentially hazardous food. Dry beverage mixes may be allowed — see the Beverages page for details.

🥫

Low-Acid Canned Goods

Canned vegetables, canned meats, and other low-acid canned goods require commercial pressure canning and process authority validation.

🦞

Seafood & Fish

Seafood and fish products are potentially hazardous and subject to additional federal oversight. Not permitted under Georgia's cottage food law.

Common Questions

Edge Cases & Common Questions

These are the products home sellers ask about most often. Use this table as a quick reference — and always confirm with GDA when in doubt.

Product	Status	Notes
Custom cakes with buttercream or fondant	✓ Allowed	Permitted. Buttercream and fondant are shelf-stable. No cream cheese, custard, or fresh fruit fillings.
Cakes with cream cheese frosting	✗ Prohibited	Cream cheese is a PHF that requires refrigeration. Not permitted.
Peach jam or jelly	✓ Allowed	Jams and jellies with adequate sugar and pectin are on the approved list.
Peach butter or apple butter	✗ Prohibited	Explicitly prohibited by GDA — insufficient sugar/pectin combination for shelf stability.
Dry BBQ rubs and spice blends	✓ Allowed	Dry herbs, spices, and seasonings are on the approved list.
BBQ sauce (tomato-based)	✗ Prohibited	Cooked vegetable product. Falls under the salsa/sauce prohibition.
Coated pecans or candied nuts	✓ Allowed	Coated and uncoated nuts are explicitly approved.
Flavored vinegar (herb, fruit)	✓ Allowed	Both plain and flavored vinegars are on the approved list.
Kombucha	⚠ Verify	Likely prohibited — fermented, often refrigerated, and may be carbonated. Confirm with GDA before producing.
Pet treats	✗ Prohibited	Pet food and pet treats require a separate feed license from GDA's Agricultural Inputs division. Not covered by cottage food law.
Granola bars (shelf-stable)	✓ Allowed	Granola and cereal mixes are on the approved list. Ensure no perishable fillings or coatings.
Kimchi or sauerkraut	✗ Prohibited	Fermented vegetables require temperature control for safety and are not on Georgia's approved list.

Important Note

Georgia's approved product list is specific. If your product isn't on it — or if you're unsure — contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture before selling. GDA welcomes questions from new sellers: CottageFoodInfo@agr.georgia.gov or (404) 656-3627. It is much better to ask first than to discover a compliance issue after you've already sold.

A Common Misconception

Labels and Disclaimers Don't Change What's Allowed

Some sellers assume that adding a disclaimer to a label ("made in an uninspected kitchen") makes any food legal to sell as cottage food. This is not correct. The disclaimer is a required label element for all cottage food products — but it does not make a prohibited product legal. A jar of salsa with a cottage food disclaimer is still prohibited salsa.

The product itself must qualify as non-potentially hazardous and appear on Georgia's approved list. The label disclaimer is then required on top of that qualification, not instead of it.