Product Categories

Open, Restricted & Prohibited Foods

Oklahoma divides homemade food products into two regulatory tracks — non-TCS (shelf-stable) and TCS (time/temperature-controlled for safety, meaning perishable). Both are allowed under the HFFA, but with different rules. A small category of products is prohibited entirely.

Open — Clearly allowed, no conditions
Restricted — Allowed with specific conditions
Prohibited — Not allowed under HFFA
Open
Non-TCS — sell anywhere
Baked Goods
Breads & Rolls
All varieties — sourdough, white, wheat, rolls, bagels
Cookies & Brownies
Shelf-stable; without cream fillings or dairy frostings
Muffins & Scones
No perishable fillings
Tortillas & Flatbreads
Shelf-stable varieties
Dry Cakes & Biscotti
Without perishable frosting or filling
Jams, Jellies & Preserves
Jams & Jellies
Standard high-sugar recipes; pH confirmed ≤ 4.6
Fruit Butters
Apple, pear, peach, etc.
Marmalades
Citrus-based; high-acid
Chutneys
Acidified recipes; pH ≤ 4.6 recommended
Candy & Confections
Hard Candy
All varieties
Fudge
Shelf-stable recipes
Brittles & Bark
Peanut brittle, nut bark, etc.
Cotton Candy
All varieties
Chocolate-Covered Items
No perishable fillings (no fresh cream or custard)
Dry Goods & Pantry
Spice Blends & Rubs
All varieties
Baking Mixes
Pancake, muffin, cookie, bread mixes
Dry Soup & Stew Mixes
Shelf-stable ingredient mixes
Coffee Beans & Tea
Whole, ground, or blended; loose leaf
Dried Fruit & Vegetables
Shelf-stable with aw ≤ 0.85
Pasta & Grain Mixes
Dry only
Snacks
Granola & Trail Mix
Shelf-stable; no fresh fruit
Popcorn & Kettle Corn
All varieties
Crackers & Pretzels
Shelf-stable
Caramel Corn
Shelf-stable
Fruit Leathers
Dehydrated, shelf-stable
Nuts & Seeds (processed)
Roasted, coated, spiced; not raw in shell
Condiments & Sauces
Mustards
High-acid; vinegar-based
Nut Butters
Peanut, almond, sunflower, etc.
Oils & Vinegars
Infused, specialty varieties
Simple Syrups
Shelf-stable; high-sugar
Honey
Flavored / Blended Honey
Covered by HFFA; also honey from out-of-state hives
Raw Oklahoma Honey
Small-scale producers (< 500 gal/yr) covered by Honey Sales Act
Restricted
Allowed with conditions
TCS Baked Goods
Cream-Frosted Cakes & Cupcakes
TCS — food safety training required; deliver directly to buyer
Pies (cream, custard, meringue)
TCS — direct delivery only; no retail/wholesale
Éclairs & Cream Puffs
TCS — pastry cream filling = perishable
Buttercream Frosting
Egg-based buttercream = TCS; American buttercream (sugar + shortening) may be non-TCS — test to confirm
Cheesecakes
TCS — cream cheese filling; direct delivery required
Acidified & Fermented Foods
Salsas & Hot Sauce
Non-TCS if pH ≤ 4.6 — lab testing strongly recommended before selling
Pickles & Pickled Vegetables
Non-TCS if pH ≤ 4.6; refrigerator pickles = TCS (direct delivery only)
Fermented Foods (kimchi, sauerkraut)
Classification depends on pH/aw; test before selling; may be TCS
Low-Acid Canned Goods
pH above 4.6 = possibly TCS; ODAFF recommends testing — [VERIFY with agency]
Applesauce
Typically non-TCS if properly acidified; testing recommended
Beverages
Kombucha
TCS or non-TCS depending on final pH/aw; may have low-level alcohol — verify classification; [VERIFY]
Fresh-Pressed Juices
TCS — perishable; direct delivery only; no pasteurization requirement stated but [VERIFY] with ODAFF
Carbonated Drinks
Allowed; TCS classification depends on ingredients — test if in doubt
Specialty Items
Empanadas & Tamales
TCS if filled with perishable ingredients (meat excluded); direct delivery only
Hardboiled Whole Eggs
Allowed as a processed food product (not raw); TCS — direct delivery
Frozen Produce (processed)
Allowed; must be delivered by producer directly if TCS
Extracts (vanilla, etc.)
Allowed; alcohol content in vanilla extract is typically compliant — not classified as "alcoholic beverage"
Prohibited
Not allowed under HFFA
Meat & Poultry
Beef, Pork, Lamb
All forms — fresh, cooked, cured, smoked
Chicken, Turkey, Wild Game Birds
All poultry prohibited
Meat Jerky
Confirmed prohibited — all varieties
Meat By-Products
Lard, homemade broth/tallow — prohibited as products AND as ingredients
Seafood
Fish (all species)
Catfish, bass, salmon, tuna, etc.
Shellfish
Shrimp, oysters, clams, lobster
Dairy & Eggs
Unpasteurized (Raw) Milk
All raw milk products prohibited
Raw Eggs in the Shell
Sold under Oklahoma Egg Law — not cottage food
Alcohol & Cannabis
Alcoholic Beverages
Beer, wine, spirits — require separate licensing
Cannabis & Marijuana Products
Prohibited under HFFA regardless of state cannabis law
Farm Products
Fresh or Processed Fruits & Vegetables
Classified as farm products — not cottage food (can be used as ingredients)
Unshelled Nuts
Farm product — not cottage food (can be used as ingredients)

Understanding the Non-TCS / TCS Divide

Oklahoma's HFFA draws a clear line between two kinds of food: those that are safe at room temperature (non-TCS) and those that require refrigeration or temperature control to prevent bacterial growth (TCS, or Time/Temperature Control for Safety).

The classification depends on science: a product is non-TCS if its pH is at or below 4.6, or its water activity (aw) is at or below 0.85. Below those thresholds, harmful bacteria can't grow fast enough to pose a food safety risk. Above them — and the food requires temperature control to keep it safe.

Oklahoma Advantage

One of only 8 states that allows TCS foods under cottage food rules

Most states restrict home food sellers to shelf-stable products only. Oklahoma goes further — allowing home sellers to sell perishable foods like cream cakes, fresh pies, and refrigerated products, as long as they complete food safety training and deliver those products directly to buyers themselves.

For borderline products — salsas, pickled vegetables, pies, certain fermented foods — the HFFA doesn't make the call for you. ODAFF recommends sending a product sample to a food testing lab to determine its pH and water activity before selling. The OSU Food and Agricultural Products Center can provide lab referrals at fapc@okstate.edu.

Note on farm products: Fresh fruits, vegetables, and unshelled nuts are classified as farm products in Oklahoma — they fall outside the cottage food framework entirely. You cannot sell them as cottage food. However, you can absolutely use them as ingredients in your cottage food products.
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Related Guides

🫙 Shelf-Stable Food Rules → 🍱 Prepared Meals & TCS Foods → 🧃 Beverages → 🏷️ Label Requirements →
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