What the Statute Requires
Required Label Elements
Under R.S. 40:4.9(D), all cottage food products sold in Louisiana must carry a label that meets the following requirements. The statute explicitly names the disclaimer; the remaining elements are required by secondary sources and standard FDA labeling practice for cottage food. No pre-approval of labels is required — you create them yourself and they must be on the product before the first sale.
Sample Label — For Reference
Bayou Sweets Co.
Praline Pecan Cookies
Net Wt. 6 oz (170g) · 12 cookies
① Seller Name & Address
Marie Thibodaux · 412 Magnolia Lane, Lafayette, LA 70501
② Ingredients (descending by weight)
Flour, Brown Sugar, Butter (cream, salt), Pecans, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Salt
③ Allergen Statement
Contains: Wheat, Tree Nuts (Pecans), Eggs, Milk
④ Net Weight
Net Wt. 6 oz (170 g)
⑤ Required Louisiana Disclaimer
"This product was produced in a home kitchen that is not inspected by the Louisiana Department of Health."
Best by: See bottom · Made in Lafayette, LA
This is a sample for illustration purposes. Your label should reflect your actual product name, seller information, and ingredients.
The common or usual name of the food product as it would be recognized by a consumer. Be specific enough to be meaningful — "Chocolate Chip Cookies" rather than just "Cookies."
Examples: Praline Pecan Brittle · Cane Syrup · Bread & Butter Pickles · Cajun Spice Blend
2
Seller Name & Address
Required
Your full legal name (or business name if you have one registered) and your complete home address — street, city, state, and ZIP code. This is how a customer or regulator can contact you if a question or concern arises about the product.
Example: Marie Thibodaux · 412 Magnolia Lane, Lafayette, LA 70501
3
Ingredient List
Required
All ingredients listed in descending order by weight — the ingredient present in the greatest amount by weight appears first. Sub-ingredients of a compound ingredient (like butter) must be listed if that ingredient constitutes a significant portion. Use common names — "flour" not "wheat flour blend," though noting "wheat" helps with allergen labeling.
Example: Flour, Brown Sugar, Butter (cream, salt), Pecans, Eggs, Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Salt
4
Net Weight or Volume
Required
The amount of product in the package by standard measure — weight in ounces and grams for solid foods, or fluid ounces and milliliters for liquid products. Both English and metric units are required. Count-based products (like cookies or candies) may also include unit count alongside weight.
Examples: Net Wt. 6 oz (170 g) · Net 8 fl oz (237 ml) · Net Wt. 1 lb (454 g)
5
Louisiana Cottage Food Disclaimer
Required — Exact Wording
This is the one label element explicitly mandated by Louisiana statute. R.S. 40:4.9(D)(1)(a) requires that the label "clearly indicates that the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility." The law doesn't specify exact wording — but the statement must be clear, unambiguous, and prominently placed.
See the Disclaimer section below for approved wording options.
+
Allergen Statement
Strongly Recommended
Not explicitly required by Louisiana's cottage food statute, but strongly recommended — and required by the federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) for most packaged foods sold commercially. Clearly listing the Big 9 major allergens protects customers with serious food allergies and protects you from liability.
Example: Contains: Wheat, Tree Nuts (Pecans), Eggs, Milk
+
Best By / Production Date
Recommended
Not required by Louisiana's cottage food statute, but strongly advised for customer confidence and product quality management. Helps customers know when to use the product, supports your own inventory tracking, and becomes important if you ever need to trace and recall a specific production batch.
Example: Best by: 03/15/2027 · Produced: 12/15/2026
The Most Important Label Element
The Required Louisiana Disclaimer
This is the one label requirement that Louisiana law explicitly mandates in R.S. 40:4.9(D)(1)(a). Every cottage food product you sell must include a statement that "clearly indicates that the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility." The statute doesn't prescribe exact wording — but the statement must be clear and prominently displayed. Here are approved ways to phrase it.
Statutory Minimum — Most Direct
"This food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility."
Meets the statutory requirement with the fewest words. Clear, legally sufficient.
Recommended — Adds LDH Reference
"This product was produced in a home kitchen that is not inspected by the Louisiana Department of Health."
Widely used in Louisiana; explicitly names the regulatory agency and clarifies it's a home kitchen.
Alternative — Cottage Food Language
"Made in a home kitchen not licensed or regulated by the State of Louisiana."
Warm and readable while remaining fully compliant with the statute's intent.
Alternative — For Farmers Market Sellers
"Cottage food product — prepared in a home kitchen that has not been licensed or inspected by the state."
The term "cottage food" helps informed consumers immediately understand the product's origin.
Honey Exception: Under R.S. 40:4.9(D)(1)(b), raw honey offered for sale is exempt from the disclaimer requirement — but only if the honey has not been pasteurized, filtered, or otherwise processed in any way that removes the natural pollen. If you sell filtered or processed honey, the disclaimer is required. If you sell raw, unfiltered honey, you are not required to include it (though you may choose to).
Food Allergy Safety
The 9 Major Food Allergens
The FDA's Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), updated by the FASTER Act of 2021, requires that these nine major food allergens be clearly identified on packaged food labels. While Louisiana's cottage food statute doesn't explicitly require allergen labeling, commercial food labeling standards generally apply to cottage food products sold to the public — and omitting allergen information creates real liability risk.
🌾
Wheat
Flour, bread, pasta
🥛
Milk
Butter, cream, cheese
🥚
Eggs
Whole eggs, egg yolk
🥜
Peanuts
Peanut butter, oil
🌳
Tree Nuts
Pecans, walnuts, almonds
🦐
Shellfish
Shrimp, crab, lobster
🫘
Soybeans
Soy sauce, tofu, oil
🌿
Sesame
Sesame oil, tahini, seeds
Use one of these two FDA-approved allergen labeling formats. Both are acceptable. Choose the one that works best for your label layout.
Measurement Requirements
Net Weight & Volume
Net weight must be declared in both US standard and metric units. Here are practical examples for common Louisiana cottage food products.
⚖️ Solid Foods — By Weight
Small cookie bagNet Wt. 6 oz (170 g)
Jam jar (half-pint)Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)
Praline boxNet Wt. 12 oz (340 g)
Spice blend pouchNet Wt. 2 oz (57 g)
Loaf breadNet Wt. 1 lb (454 g)
King cakeNet Wt. 2 lbs (907 g)
🫙 Liquid / Pourable — By Volume
Hot sauce (small)Net 5 fl oz (148 ml)
Cane syrup (pint)Net 16 fl oz (473 ml)
Simple syrupNet 8 fl oz (237 ml)
BBQ sauceNet 12 fl oz (355 ml)
Honey bearNet Wt. 12 oz (340 g)
Pickle jarNet Wt. 16 oz (454 g)
Note: Honey is typically labeled by weight (not fluid ounces) even though it's a liquid, because its density varies.
💡 Recommended (Not Required) Label Additions
These elements aren't legally required by Louisiana's cottage food statute, but they build customer trust, protect you from questions, and make your products look more professional at farmers markets and in retail settings.
Best by / expiration date — essential for food safety and customer confidence
Production batch number — enables traceability if a quality issue arises
Storage instructions — "Keep refrigerated" for cream-filled items; "Store in a cool, dry place" for shelf-stable
Serving size and servings per container — helps customers, makes your product look professional
Your website, email, or social media — for customers to reach you with repeat orders
QR code linking to your SellFood store — makes reordering effortless
UPC barcode — required for most retail store placements (grocery, specialty)
"Gluten-free," "Vegan," or other dietary claims — if accurate and supportable
Common Mistakes
Label Dos & Don'ts
✓ Do This
Print the disclaimer clearly — don't bury it in tiny print
List ingredients in true descending weight order
Include both oz/g or fl oz/ml on every label
Name the specific tree nut (Pecans, Walnuts) in allergen statements
Label every individual product unit — not just the outer box
Add a best-by date even if not legally required
Use permanent labels that won't smear or fall off
Include storage instructions for cream-filled or refrigerated items
✗ Avoid This
Omitting the disclaimer — this is the #1 statutory requirement
Listing ingredients alphabetically instead of by weight
Using only metric or only English units — both are required
Making unverified health claims ("heals inflammation," "immune-boosting")
Selling unlabeled product at a market with a plan to "label later"
Using vague allergen statements like "may contain nuts" as your only allergen disclosure
Using handwritten labels that are difficult to read — typed or printed labels are far better
Forgetting to update labels when you change an ingredient in your recipe
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