Illinois Cottage Food Label Requirements
Selling homemade food in Illinois? Your package label has to carry a specific set of items — including Illinois’s required home-kitchen statement. Here’s exactly what goes on the label, and a free tool that builds it from your recipe.
The required Illinois label statement
“This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.”
This exact wording is prescribed by law. ✓ Verified against the official source.
Source: 410 ILCS 625/4(b)(7)(E) (label) & 4(b)(10) (point-of-sale placard), Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act (Home-to-Market Act, P.A. 102-0633, eff. 1/1/2022; unaffected by 2024 HB4280). Canonical official text ↗
What your Illinois cottage food label must include
- ✓The common or usual name of the product
- ✓Net quantity (weight or volume) — in US customary and metric
- ✓The ingredient list, in descending order by weight
- ✓An allergen “Contains” statement (FDA major allergens present)
- ✓Your name and business address
- ✓The Illinois statement: “This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.”
Generate your Illinois label free
Enter your recipe once — MakeFoodLabel builds the whole label (ingredient list, allergen “Contains” line, net weight, and the Illinois home-kitchen statement) plus the FDA nutrition table if you need it. Free with a watermark; $29 once to remove it, unlimited labels.
Make my Illinois label →Common questions
What must a cottage food label include in Illinois?
A Illinois cottage food label generally needs the product name, net weight, the full ingredient list in descending order by weight, an allergen statement, your business name and address, and the statement “This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a health department that may also process common food allergens. If you have safety concerns, contact your local health department.”. Rules can vary by food type and sales channel — confirm with your state authority.
Do I need a Nutrition Facts panel to sell cottage food in Illinois?
Usually not, unless you make a nutrient claim (like “low sugar”) or exceed your state’s cottage food limits. Many sellers add one anyway because stores and customers ask for it. MakeFoodLabel generates the FDA panel from your recipe if you need it.
Where does the “not inspected / home kitchen” wording come from?
From Illinois’s cottage food law — 410 ILCS 625/4(b)(7)(E) (label) & 4(b)(10) (point-of-sale placard), Food Handling Regulation Enforcement Act (Home-to-Market Act, P.A. 102-0633, eff. 1/1/2022; unaffected by 2024 HB4280). Canonical. Cottage food law changes often, so verify the current wording with your authority before printing.
This page is an estimation aid, not legal advice. Cottage food rules vary by state and change often; whether you need a nutrition panel, the exact disclaimer wording, sales limits and permitted foods all depend on your situation. Confirm current requirements with the Illinois authority before selling.