The USVI has no cottage food labeling statute — but FDA standard labeling rules apply, and your label is your strongest signal to buyers and inspectors alike. Here's everything that must be on every unit you sell.
FDA rules govern USVI food labeling. Because the US Virgin Islands is a US territory with no dedicated cottage food labeling law, FDA's standard food labeling requirements (21 CFR Parts 101 and 102) serve as the baseline for all food sold in the territory. This guide covers what those requirements mean in practice for home food sellers — every required field, allergen rules, net weight format, and font size guidance.
Sample label — not an official template
The common or usual name of the food must appear prominently on the principal display panel — the part of the label most likely to be seen by a consumer.
"Guava Jam" · "Mango Hot Sauce" · "Hibiscus Spice Blend"Required on the principal display panel, in the lower 30% of the panel. Must include both US customary units and metric. See the Net Weight section below for full formatting rules.
"8 oz (227 g)" · "12 fl oz (355 mL)"All ingredients must be listed in descending order by weight — the most-used ingredient first. Sub-ingredients of compound ingredients must also be declared. Use common names, not chemical names.
"Sugar, mango purée, apple cider vinegar, habanero peppers, salt."All 9 major allergens must be declared — either within the ingredient list or in a separate "Contains:" statement immediately after. Cross-contact warnings ("made in a facility that also processes…") are optional but strongly recommended. See the Allergen section below.
"Contains: Milk, Wheat." or "Allergen-free. Made in a facility processing tree nuts."Your full name (or business name) and physical address — including island, city/district, and zip code. A P.O. Box alone is not sufficient; a street address is required. This is how customers and inspectors can trace your product back to you.
"Maria Rivera · 3274 Estate Richmond, Christiansted, St. Croix, VI 00820"Not legally required by FDA for most packaged foods — but expected by consumers and strongly recommended for all home-produced products. Clearly state a best-by or use-by date, and include storage instructions if the product requires refrigeration after opening.
"Best by: 06/2026" · "Refrigerate after opening. Use within 30 days."Unlike US states with formal cottage food laws — which often mandate a specific statutory disclaimer — the USVI has no such requirement. However, using a voluntary disclosure like the one above is strongly recommended for transparency with your customers and good-faith compliance posture.
If DOH inspects your production space and issues a health permit, you are no longer operating from an uninspected kitchen — in that case, this disclaimer is not needed and should be omitted. Sellers operating under a DOH health permit may wish to state that plainly instead: "Produced in a licensed and inspected kitchen."
Verify with DOH whether any specific disclaimer language is required as a condition of a health permit or event permit. [VERIFY with DOH Environmental Health: (340) 774-9000 x4600]
Under the Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA) and the FASTER Act of 2021, nine foods are recognized as major allergens and must be clearly declared on every food label sold in the United States — including in US territories. There are no exceptions for small producers or home-based sellers in USVI.
How to declare allergens: You have two compliant options. Option 1 — include the allergen in parentheses within the ingredient list: "flour (wheat), butter (milk)". Option 2 — add a bold "Contains:" statement immediately after the ingredient list: "Contains: Wheat, Milk." Using both is common practice and adds clarity. For tree nuts, you must name the specific nut — "Contains: cashews" not just "tree nuts." For fish and shellfish, name the specific species when known.
Cross-contact advisory statements — phrases like "Made in a kitchen that also processes peanuts" — are voluntary and not required by FDA. However, they are strongly recommended if your home kitchen is used for both allergen-containing and allergen-free products. This protects both your customers and your business from liability.
FDA regulations (21 CFR Part 101.105) require net quantity of contents to appear on the principal display panel in both US customary and metric units. Position it in the bottom 30% of the PDP.
| Product Type | Unit | Required Format | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solid / semi-solid foods (jams, cookies, spice blends) |
Weight | oz + g (or lb + kg if over 1 lb) | "8 oz (227 g)" "1 lb 4 oz (567 g)" |
| Liquid foods (hot sauce, shrubs, syrups) |
Volume | fl oz + mL (or qt/gal + L if large) | "5 fl oz (148 mL)" "12 fl oz (355 mL)" |
| Viscous foods (honey, nut butter, thick pastes) |
Weight or volume | Either format acceptable; weight preferred | "8 oz (227 g)" preferred over fluid ounces |
| Dry mixes / tea blends (baking mixes, spice packets) |
Weight | oz + g | "2 oz (57 g)" |
| Countable items (individually wrapped cookies, candy) |
Count + weight | "X pieces, Y oz (Z g)" | "12 cookies, 6 oz (170 g)" |
FDA sets minimum type size requirements for food labels. These apply in USVI as in all US jurisdictions. The most common home seller error is using font that is too small to read — particularly on small jars and bottles.
Must appear prominently and conspicuously on the principal display panel. No specific minimum size — but it must be easily readable at a normal viewing distance. At least 1/16 inch (1.6mm) tall is the general FDA guidance for most labeling.
Minimum type height is determined by the size of the principal display panel. For a PDP area under 5 sq in (common for small jars): minimum 1/16 inch. For 5–25 sq in (typical jam jar): minimum 1/8 inch. Larger panels require larger type.
Must appear on the information panel (side or back of label). Minimum type height: 1/16 inch for most packages. Must be easily readable — avoid light gray text on white, or decorative fonts that reduce legibility.
No specific minimum size beyond general legibility standards. Must be placed on the information panel and be readily visible. Use at least the same size as your ingredient list — typically 7–9pt font on a printed label.
Print test before you order labels in bulk. Always print a test label and physically read it at arm's length before ordering a full run. If you have to squint, your font is too small. Many home sellers order 500+ labels only to find the ingredient text is unreadable at production size. A 10-label test print costs almost nothing.
Create professional food labels with all required fields pre-structured — ingredient list, allergen statement, net weight, producer name, and best-by date. Download as PNG. Free with your SellFood account.
Open Label Creator → Create Free AccountUse SellFood's free Label Creator to build compliant labels for every product — then list them in your SellFood storefront and start selling across the islands.
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