🌲 Maine · Labeling
Label Requirements in Maine
Maine's labeling rules are straightforward. Know when labels are required, what must appear on them, and how allergen disclosure works — then create labels that build customer trust and keep you compliant.
When Are Labels Required?
Label Required
Selling outside your home — at markets, retail, online, mail-order
Any product sold at a farmers market, in a retail store, online, by mail, or delivered to a customer must carry a compliant label. This applies to every individual unit sold — each jar, bag, box, or package must be labeled. Labels must be clear, legible, and display all required information.
No Label Required
Selling directly from your home to customers who visit in person
Maine's home food rules do not require a label on products sold directly from your home — if the customer comes to you and you hand it to them in person at your house. However, labeling even home-sale products is strongly recommended as a matter of professionalism and allergen safety. Under Food Sovereignty Ordinances, labels are generally not required either, though best practice remains the same.
Required Label Elements — Visual Guide
Every numbered element below is required on labels for products sold outside the home in Maine.
Wild Blueberry Jam
Small-Batch · Downeast Maine
① Ingredients
Wild blueberries, cane sugar, fruit pectin, lemon juice.
⚠ Contains: None of the 9 major allergens.
Produced in a home kitchen that also handles tree nuts and wheat.
② Producer Name & Address
Jane Smith
42 Blueberry Lane, Ellsworth, ME 04605
③ Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)
"This product was made in a home kitchen that is not subject to state inspection."
1
Required
Product Name
The common or usual name of the food product. Must be clear and descriptive — "Wild Blueberry Jam" not just "Jam." Should appear prominently on the principal display panel.
2
Required
Ingredient List
All ingredients listed in descending order by weight — the heaviest ingredient first. Use common names. Include sub-ingredients if a compound ingredient is used (e.g., "pectin" not just "gelling agent").
3
Required
Producer Name & Physical Address
Your full legal name (or business name) and your complete physical home address — street, city, state, ZIP. A P.O. box alone is not sufficient. This must be your actual production address.
4
Required
Net Weight or Count
The amount of product in the container. Use weight for solid/semi-solid foods (oz and grams) or fluid volume for beverages (fl oz and ml). Must appear on the principal display panel, typically in the lower third.
5
Required — Verify Exact Wording
Home Kitchen Disclaimer
A statement indicating the product was made in a home kitchen. The exact required wording should be confirmed with DACF — most sources cite language indicating the product is not subject to state inspection. See the callout box below.
6
Strongly Recommended
Allergen Disclosure
The 9 major allergens must be disclosed if present in your product or in your kitchen during production. Not required by Maine statute to be in a separate "Contains:" line, but best practice and increasingly expected by markets and retailers.
All Required Elements — Complete Reference
1
Common or usual name of the food. Must be clear, truthful, and accurately describe the product. Example: "Strawberry Jam," "Sourdough Bread," "Lemon Shortbread Cookies."
2
All ingredients in descending order by weight. Use common names. Include all sub-ingredients in compound ingredients. Water must be listed if added. Spices, flavorings, and colorings may be listed as such.
3
Your full legal name or registered business name (DBA). Must match your license. "Jane Smith" or "Jane's Kitchen LLC" — whichever is your licensed entity.
4
Production Address
Required
Your complete physical home address — street number, street name, city, state, ZIP code. Must be your actual licensed production location. P.O. box alone is insufficient. Note: your full home address will be public on every label.
5
Net Weight or Count
Required
The quantity of product in the package. Solid/semi-solid: net weight in ounces and grams (e.g., "Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)"). Liquid: fluid volume in fl oz and ml. Countable items: numerical count (e.g., "12 cookies"). Placed in lower third of principal display panel.
6
Home Kitchen Disclaimer
Required — Verify Wording
A statement indicating the product was produced in a home kitchen. Exact statutory wording should be confirmed with DACF at (207) 287-3841. Most sources describe language stating the product is made in a home kitchen not subject to state inspection. See the disclaimer callout below.
7
Allergen Disclosure
Strongly Recommended
Disclose all 9 major allergens present in or handled in your kitchen. Recommended placement: "Contains: [allergen list]" immediately after the ingredient list, or within it using bold type. Cross-contact disclosure: "Made in a home kitchen that also handles [allergens]."
8
Nutrition Facts Panel
Exempt for Most Home Sellers
Not required if you sell fewer than 10,000 units AND employ fewer than 10 full-time employees per year (FDA small business exemption). Most Maine home food sellers qualify for this exemption. If you grow beyond these thresholds, a Nutrition Facts panel becomes required.
Maine requires (or strongly expects) a disclaimer statement on home food products indicating they were produced in a home kitchen. Some sources describe this as a formal requirement; others treat it as a best-practice standard. Either way, including it protects you and sets accurate consumer expectations. The most widely cited wording is:
"This product was made in a home kitchen that is not subject to state inspection."
Verify the exact required wording directly with DACF at (207) 287-3841 or by reviewing Maine Code of Regulations Chapter 345 before printing labels. Some older sources also cite the phrase "not subject to inspection" as the core required element. When in doubt, include a clear home kitchen statement — it's good practice regardless of the exact statutory requirement.
The 9 Major Allergens
The FDA updated the major allergen list in 2023. Maine home sellers should disclose all 9 if present in the product or kitchen.
🥜
Peanuts
Peanut butter, peanut oil, mixed nuts
🌰
Tree Nuts
Almonds, walnuts, pecans, cashews, pistachios
🥛
Milk
Butter, cream, cheese, lactose, whey
🥚
Eggs
Egg yolk, egg white, albumin, mayonnaise
🌾
Wheat
Flour, bread crumbs, durum, semolina, spelt
🐟
Fish
Cod, salmon, tuna, tilapia, anchovies
🦐
Shellfish
Shrimp, crab, lobster, clams, scallops
🫘
Soybeans
Soy sauce, tofu, edamame, miso, soy lecithin
🌿
Sesame
Sesame seeds, tahini, sesame oil (added 2023)
How to Format Allergen Disclosure
Net Weight & Measurement Rules
⚖️
Solid & Semi-Solid Foods
Declare net weight in both US customary and metric units. Place in the lower third of the principal display panel.
Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)
Net Wt. 1 lb (454 g)
🧪
Liquid & Fluid Products
Declare net fluid volume in US fluid ounces and milliliters or liters.
Net 8 fl oz (237 ml)
Net 16.9 fl oz (500 ml)
🍪
Countable Items
Individual baked goods sold by count rather than weight — declare the count. Weight declaration is also acceptable.
6 cookies
1 dozen (12) shortbreads
📐
Placement on Label
Net quantity must appear in the bottom third of the principal display panel (the face of the label the consumer sees first). It should not be obscured by other text.
Bottom third of front panel — visible and legible
ℹ️ Nutrition Facts Panel — Not Required for Most Home Sellers
The FDA's small business nutrition labeling exemption means most Maine home food sellers do not need to include a Nutrition Facts panel on their labels. You qualify for the exemption if:
1. You sell fewer than 10,000 units of the food product per year, AND
2. You employ fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees per year.
If you meet both conditions, you are not required to include a Nutrition Facts panel and you do not need to file a small business exemption notice with the FDA. Most cottage food sellers in Maine qualify easily. If you grow your business significantly, reassess this threshold — at 10,000+ units you'll need to add the panel.
Labeling Rules by Pathway
State License Path
Home Food Processor License
- No label required for direct home sales (customer comes to you)
- Full label required for all other sales channels
- Product name, ingredients, name, address, net weight — all required
- Home kitchen disclaimer required (verify wording with DACF)
- Allergen disclosure strongly recommended
- Nutrition facts panel not required (small business exemption)
Food Sovereignty Path
Local Ordinance Sellers
- Labels generally not required under food sovereignty ordinances
- Check your local ordinance — some municipalities add labeling rules
- Even without requirement, labeling is best practice
- Allergen disclosure especially important for customer safety
- No formal home kitchen disclaimer wording specified at local level
- Provide your name and contact info as a minimum courtesy