Idaho Health Department contemplating new rules for cottage foods

Cottage foods are considered any food product produced in a person’s home and then sold or given away directly to other people. Right now there are zero regulations in Idaho regarding cottage foods, which sparked discussion at the state capital.

“There was conversation in the legislature this year in Boise about should these foods be regulated,” said Patrick Guzzle, a food protection manager from the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. “And if so how should those regulations work?”

Several bills were proposed this past legislative session that would have at least started down the path towards regulation, all failed. Now the health department is looking to hear the opinions of those who produce cottage foods and what their concerns are.

“We want to ask if there is something that we need to change. Is there a practice that we need to change? Is there a rule that we need to implement? What really is the will of the stake holders regarding this,” said Guzzle

The health department has held several meetings across the state, and eastern Idaho is their final stop. The next scheduled meetings will be held on May 12 in Idaho Falls at 9 AM and 12:30 PM where Food code revisions will be discussed. That’s at the Eastern Idaho Public Health Building at 1250 Hollipark Dr. For folks in the Pocatello area, meetings will be held on May 13th at 8 AM, 11 AM and 4 PM and on May 14 at 9 AM and 11:30 AM. Those meetings will be held at the South Eastern Idaho Public Health Building at 1901 Alvin Ricken Drive.