Every cottage food product sold in Mississippi must carry a compliant label. Here's exactly what's required — every field, the precise disclaimer text, and allergen rules — before your first sale.
Mississippi's cottage food law (Miss. Code Ann. § 75-29-951) requires that every cottage food product be prepackaged with a label affixed to the package before it is sold. You cannot sell unwrapped products, products in open containers, or products where the buyer selects from a bulk bin. Every item leaving your home or appearing at a market booth must be individually packaged and labeled in advance.
The label must include seven specific elements required by state law. There is no pre-approval process — MSDH does not review or approve your labels. You are responsible for ensuring your labels are correct. Incorrect labeling is grounds for disciplinary action if your operation is investigated following a complaint.
Mississippi does not require you to submit your labels to MSDH for review or approval. You create your labels, apply them, and sell. The responsibility for accuracy is entirely yours. When in doubt about any labeling requirement, contact MSDH Food Protection Division at msdh.ms.gov.
All seven must appear on every package. Missing even one element makes your label non-compliant under § 75-29-951.
Miss. Code Ann. § 75-29-951 specifies the exact wording of the required disclaimer. It must appear verbatim — do not alter, abbreviate, or paraphrase it. Use it exactly as written below.
"Made in a cottage food operation that is not subject to Mississippi's food safety regulations."
The statute specifies the disclaimer must appear "in a color that provides a clear contrast to the background of the label." Dark text on a light label (black on white, dark brown on cream) is the safest approach. Do not print the disclaimer in light gray on white, or in a color that blends with your label background — this would be non-compliant.
The sample below shows all seven required elements in a typical layout for a baked good. Your label design can differ — this is an illustration of the required content, not a required format.
Federal law (FALCPA and FASTER Act) requires that all nine major food allergens be clearly declared on food labels whenever they are present in any amount — including trace amounts from shared equipment or facilities. Mississippi's cottage food labeling requirement incorporates this federal allergen standard. If any of the nine allergens below are in your product or could be present due to cross-contact, you must declare them.
Sesame was added as the ninth major allergen by the FASTER Act, effective January 1, 2023. If your products contain tahini, sesame seeds, sesame oil, or any other sesame-derived ingredient, you must declare sesame as an allergen. Review your recipes for hidden sesame sources — some spice blends, crackers, and baked goods contain sesame.
If your home kitchen is also used to prepare foods containing allergens that aren't in a specific product, consider adding a voluntary "May contain…" or "Made in a facility that also processes…" advisory statement. This is not required by Mississippi law but is good practice and protects sensitive customers. Never make an allergen-free claim (e.g., "gluten-free") unless you can verify the product actually meets the federal standard for that claim.
Net weight is the weight of the food itself — not including the packaging. You must declare net weight (for solid products) or net volume (for liquid products) in both US customary units and metric units. This follows the FDA's Fair Packaging and Labeling Act requirements.
The net weight on your label must reflect the content only — not the jar, bag, or container. Weigh your product before packaging and again after to confirm the net weight. A kitchen scale with gram precision is sufficient for cottage food quantities. If your products vary slightly in weight (handmade cookies, for example), label conservatively or by count rather than weight.
Mississippi's cottage food statute specifies only one font size requirement: the disclaimer statement must be in at least 10-point type. There are no additional minimum font sizes specified in state law for other label fields. However, FDA conventions and common sense dictate that all label text must be legible and readable under normal conditions.
SellFood's Label Creator pre-fills the required Mississippi disclaimer text, walks you through every mandatory field, and lets you download print-ready labels. The Mississippi disclaimer is built in — you cannot accidentally leave it out.
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