Home food processing is headache for local regulators

WASHINGTON — With reformed statewide regulations for homemade, store-sold food on the books Sept. 20, county regulators find themselves handling a range of new, sometimes unclear procedures.

“We’ve extended our cottage food laws … and they’ve taken away the home bakery license and now it’s a home food processing establishment license,” Washington County Environmental Health Director Jason Taylor said at a Board of Health meeting last week. “There’s a number of foods they’ll be able to produce now in their homes … and sell directly to grocery stores, restaurants, anything like that.”

Taylor said the new rules, outlined in House File 2431, allowed the sale of jams, jellies, chocolate and spices to retailers, among others. Changes do not yet allow the sale of temperature-controlled products like meat or milk.

Inspection for the newly established home food processors amounts to a records review, according to officials, who said the process was entirely virtual.

“The paperwork side of things for this is the key element, compared to a standard food service license,” said Washington County Environmental Health Specialist Cindy Rico Chavez.

That can make enforcement especially difficult.

“It’s way different from a restaurant,” Taylor said. “For a restaurant we’re looking for food safety practices … with this it’s more records review. Even if we see a violation, it’s not a violation (if) they have the paperwork that states how they do it.”

In turn, Taylor said it could make the food preparation process more dangerous.

“The law doesn’t go into effect to say they must wash their hands prior to preparing, it doesn’t say they have to sanitize their products,” he said. “When it comes to a restaurant, they have to follow all the food code, and this is very vague food code.”

State law only requires producers to keep records on hand for the last six months of activity. Taylor said that timeline was considerably shorter than some items’ expiration date.

“Some of these items will probably be still on the store shelves past the six months,” he said. “We’re concerned with recalls and any problems that could arise.”

Producers to need standardized recipes for their goods, according to Taylor. Approval for the product falls on county officials, not the state or federal level, although Taylor said state’s guidelines of what exactly should be allowed were unfinished.

“It puts a lot more on us,” Taylor said. “The state of Iowa’s still getting us lists of what items can be prepared at home food processing plants and what can’t, so it’s a pretty major change.”

Taylor said the reforms were part of a larger, nationwide movement toward deregulation of homemade food.

“There are states that you can buy raw milk, raw cheeses, anything you want from the producer,” he said. “We’ll try to keep everybody safe, but it’s going to be a little more difficult than it used to be.”

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com