Every cottage food product sold in Tennessee must carry a compliant label. Here's exactly what needs to be on it — including the mandatory disclaimer.
The Tennessee Food Freedom Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 53-1-118) requires all food items packaged in a domestic kitchen to be properly labeled before sale. There is no pre-approval or label review process — you're responsible for including every required element. Here are the eight elements your label must contain:
Your legal full name as the person who produced the food. This is the individual or business name responsible for the product.
The physical address of the home kitchen where the food was produced. A P.O. Box alone is not sufficient — your street address is required.
A working phone number where customers or regulators can reach you. This can be a cell phone, landline, or business phone number.
The standard name of your product — for example, "Chocolate Chip Cookies," "Strawberry Jam," or "Cinnamon Granola." This should clearly identify what the product is.
All ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight, starting with the ingredient present in the greatest amount. Use common names — not scientific or technical terms — so customers can easily identify what's in the product.
The net weight must be listed in both Imperial (ounces, pounds) and metric (grams, kilograms) units. For liquids, list fluid ounces and milliliters. Example: "Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)" or "12 fl oz (355 mL)."
A lot number, production date, or batch identifier for traceability. This helps you identify and trace a specific production run if a customer reports an issue. A simple format like "LOT 2026-03-31" or "Batch #47" works well.
The TFFA mandates a specific disclaimer on every cottage food label. This exact statement must appear on your label — see below for the full text.
The following statement is required by the TFFA on every cottage food label. It must appear exactly as written:
"This product was produced at a private residence that is exempt from state licensing and inspection. This product may contain allergens."
No pre-approval needed: You do not need to submit your label to TDA or any state agency for review before selling. The responsibility is entirely on the producer to ensure the label meets all TFFA requirements.
The TFFA's required disclaimer includes the statement "This product may contain allergens" — but that general warning is a minimum, not a best practice. Clearly identifying allergens in your ingredient list protects your customers and reduces your liability. Under federal FDA rules, the nine major allergens must be declared whenever present:
There are two common ways to declare allergens on a food label. The first is to include them in parentheses within the ingredient list itself — for example, "flour (wheat), butter (milk)." The second is to add a separate "Contains:" statement below the ingredient list — for example, "Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs." Either approach is acceptable. If your kitchen handles allergens that aren't in a specific product but could cross-contaminate, a "May contain" or "Produced in a facility that also processes..." advisory statement is a smart addition.
Tennessee requires that net weight or volume be listed in dual units — both U.S. customary (Imperial) and metric. This means every label needs both systems displayed. Common formats include:
For solid foods: "Net Wt. 12 oz (340 g)" — ounces and grams
For liquids: "12 fl oz (355 mL)" — fluid ounces and milliliters
For larger quantities: "Net Wt. 2 lbs (907 g)" or "1 qt (946 mL)"
Invest in a reliable digital kitchen scale that reads in both ounces and grams. Weigh your finished, packaged product (contents only, not the container) and use that weight on your label. Consistency matters — if your label says 8 oz, every package should contain at least 8 oz. Slight over-filling is standard practice to ensure compliance.
Here's what a properly labeled Tennessee cottage food product looks like with all eight required elements:
The TFFA includes specific labeling rules for situations where a physical label isn't attached to a product at the time of purchase:
All required labeling information must appear where your products are listed online — on your product page, listing, or storefront. The customer should see your name, address, ingredients, and disclaimer before they buy.
When taking orders by phone, you must verbally inform the customer that the product is homemade and exempt from state licensing and inspection. All other label information must be provided upon request.
If you sell products in bulk containers (like a large tray of cookies), the label must appear on the container itself. For unpackaged items sold at markets or events, the label information must appear on a placard at the point of sale.
A Nutrition Facts panel is not required for Tennessee cottage food sellers. Under FDA rules, businesses with fewer than 100 employees that sell fewer than 100,000 units of a product per year are exempt. Virtually all cottage food sellers qualify for this exemption.
Create compliant Tennessee cottage food labels with the required disclaimer pre-filled — print-ready in minutes.
Create Free Account to Use Label Creator →Join home food sellers across Tennessee who are building real businesses from their kitchens. List your products, reach local buyers, and grow.
Create Your Free Account →