pH has to be managed
For shelf-stable canned foods, safety depends on controlling acidity and process conditions. Missouri DHSS explains that acidified foods are low-acid foods brought below pH 4.6, and gives salsa and pickled foods as examples.
Regulations & Compliance
Food safety is part of the recipe
We are a small farm, but we do not treat food safety casually. Some products can be sold under Missouri cottage food rules. Others, like shelf-stable pickles and salsa, require a more serious processing path.
Our Approach
The extra steps matter
There is a big difference between a simple homemade food and a sealed jar that is meant to sit safely on a pantry shelf. Missouri recognizes that difference, and so do we. When a product needs more than cottage food treatment, we follow the process: proper training, proper facility standards, reviewed processes, careful packaging, and labels that tell customers what they are buying.
This page is a plain-English summary of how we think about compliance. It is not legal advice, and the official rules always control.
Plain English
Not every farm product follows the same rulebook
| Product path | Examples | What we do |
|---|---|---|
| Cottage food | Baked goods, canned jams or jellies, dried herbs or herb mixes that qualify under Missouri law. | Sold directly to customers, labeled with our name/address, product name, ingredients, net weight, and the required statement that the food was prepared in a kitchen not subject to inspection. |
| Acidified canned foods | Pickles, salsa, hot sauce, and similar shelf-stable foods preserved with acid. | Not treated as casual cottage food. These products need pH control, a reviewed scheduled process, Better Process Control School training, sanitation controls, records, and the appropriate Missouri/FDA processing steps before commercial sale. |
| Packaged food labels | Any packaged food we sell. | Labels are built for clarity: common product name, ingredient list, net quantity, allergen information when required, and contact information so customers know who made it. |
| Eggs and farm products | Eggs, produce, and other farm-direct items. | Handled under the rules that apply to that product type. For eggs, Missouri Department of Agriculture licensing and handling requirements may apply depending on how they are sold. |
Pickles & Salsa
Acid Control
Process Review
BPCS
Why these jars get extra attention
The recipe is not enough
A commercial acidified food needs a scheduled process reviewed by a qualified process authority. That means the jar size, ingredients, pH target, heat process, and critical controls are evaluated together.
Training is part of the standard
Better Process Control School covers the processing knowledge needed for acidified and low-acid canned foods, including acidification, container closure, and process control.
Before Sale
Our commercial jar checklist
- Classify the product correctly before selling it.
- Use a compliant processing space and sanitary equipment.
- Follow Better Process Control School training where required.
- Have acidified food recipes reviewed for a scheduled process.
- Measure and record critical controls such as pH, time, temperature, and container closure.
- Use compliant packaging and labels with ingredients, net weight, allergens, and maker information.
- Keep batch records so products can be traced if a question ever comes up.
What Customers Should Know
We would rather do it right than rush it
Cottage food laws are helpful for certain low-risk foods, but they are not a shortcut for every product a farm can make. We are working to make our pickles, salsa, and other processed goods available in a way that respects the science, the regulations, and the trust customers place in us.
That is what we want Muddy Road Farm to stand for: food with a name, a place, and a process behind it.
Labels
Identity
Ingredients
Allergens
What we put on the package
Who made it
Labels identify Muddy Road Farm and give customers a way to know where the food came from.
What is inside
Multi-ingredient foods list ingredients in order by weight, along with the common product name and net quantity.
Safety details
When a product contains a major allergen, labels call it out clearly. FDA recognizes milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame as major allergens.
Resources
Rules and resources we follow
- Missouri Revised Statutes, Section 196.298 - Cottage Food Production Operations
- Missouri DHSS Food Safety FAQ - Cottage Food Rule
- Missouri DHSS - Acidified Foods and Low-Acid Canned Foods
- Missouri DHSS - Manufactured Foods
- FDA - Acidified and Low-Acid Canned Food Registration and Process Filing
- FDA - Food Allergies and Major Allergen Labeling
- Missouri Department of Agriculture - Egg Licensing and Enforcement
Last reviewed: July 28, 2026.