Connecticut General Statutes
Chapter 417 - General Provisions. Pure Food and Drugs
Section 21a-24a. - Sale of acidified food products, jams, jellies and preserves.

(a) As used in this section:

(1) “Acidified food product” means a food item, with a pH value of 4.6 or less upon completion of the recipe for such product, including, but not limited to, pickles, salsa and hot sauce, produced on the premises of a residential farm. “Acidified food product” does not include food consisting in whole or in part of milk or milk products, eggs, meat, poultry, fish, shellfish, edible crustacean ingredients or other ingredients, including synthetic ingredients, in a form capable of supporting rapid and progressive growth of infectious or toxigenic microorganisms.
(2) “Jam” means a food, with a pH value of 4.6 or less, made by cooking fruit or vegetables with sugar to a thick mixture.
(3) “Jelly” means a food, with a pH value of 4.6 or less, made by cooking fruit or vegetable juice that has been boiled with sugar.
(4) “Preserves” means a food, with a pH value of 4.6 or less, consisting of fruit or vegetables preserved whole by cooking with sugar.
(5) “Residential farm” means property (A) being utilized as a farm, as defined in subsection (q) of section 1-1, and (B) serving as the primary residence of the owner of such property.
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 21a-91 to 21a-120, inclusive, and section 19-13-B40 of the regulations of Connecticut state agencies, the preparation and sale of acidified food products, jams, jellies or preserves on a residential farm shall be allowed in a room used as living quarters and exempt from inspection by any state or local agency, provided such acidified food products, jams, jellies or preserves are prepared with fruit or vegetables grown on such farm and in the case of acidified food products, provided (1) the water supply of such residential farm comes from a public water supply system or, if from a private well, is tested and tests negative for coliform bacteria, (2) a pH test of such acidified food products is performed by a laboratory after completion of the recipe for such acidified food products, (3) use of the kitchen where such acidified food products are prepared is restricted from nonprocessing individuals, pets, children or any other potential contaminants during such preparation, and (4) the preparer of such acidified food products (A) possesses documentation of such preparer's successful completion of an examination concerning safe food handling techniques administered by an organization approved by the Department of Public Health for qualified food operators, or possesses documentation indicating successful completion of an approved course concerning safe food processing techniques administered by an organization approved by the Department of Consumer Protection, and (B) such documentation is made available to the local health department or the Department of Consumer Protection upon request. If the local health department or the Department of Public Health has reason to believe that a private well used pursuant to subdivision (1) of this subsection may be contaminated with coliform bacteria, such department may require such private well to be retested for the presence of coliform bacteria. Each container of acidified food products, jam, jelly or preserves offered for sale on such farm shall have on its label, in ten-point type: “Not prepared in a government inspected kitchen”.
(P.A. 94-23; P.A. 10-103, S. 3; P.A. 11-59, S. 4.)
History: P.A. 10-103 amended Subsec. (a) by adding new Subdiv. (1) defining “acidified food product”, redesignating existing Subdivs. (1) to (4) as Subdivs. (2) to (5) and adding reference to vegetables in redesignated Subdivs. (2) to (4), and amended Subsec. (b) by adding provisions re sale of acidified food products, effective January 1, 2011; P.A. 11-59 made technical changes, effective July 1, 2011.

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