Montana Food System Resource Library

Cottage Food Laws: Allowable Products, Ingredients, and GRAS Guidelines

Publication Date: January 10, 2018

Included here resources for Cottage Food Operators under Montana’s Cottage Food Law, including a list of allowable/approved cottage foods, allowable ingredients, and Frequently Asked Questions about GRAS for substances intended for use in human or animal food.

Resources include:

  • Approved Cottage Food Products – Montana Rule 37.110.503 – Effective beginning September 25, 2015
  • DHPPS Food Ingredient Guidance Document – Published January 10, 2018
  • US DPHHS & FDA Frequently Asked Questions about GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) for Substances Intended for Use in Human or Animal Food – Published October 2016

The short answer is as follows!

What ingredients are allowed in regular food?

Ingredients allowed in human food nearly always fall into one of the following categories:

  1. Conventional food
  2. Approved additives
  3. Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS)

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This work was made possible by funding from Western Extension Risk Management Education (WERME) and Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE). The material is based upon work that was supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2019-38640-29880 through the Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program under project number WRGR20-009. USDA is an equal opportunity employer and service provider. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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