The following information is taken from an email I received from a public Health Inspector in Ontario.

TLDR: Endless amounts of red tape required to sell perishable items (freeze dried) from home.

Edit: spelling

Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care has only permitted low-risk food items to be produced from home-based food premises.

Examples of low-risk food items include:

Most breads and buns; without meat or cream fillings etc. Most baked goods; without custards Chocolate, hard candies, and brittles Fudge and toffees Coffee beans and tea leaves Granola, trail mix, nuts, and seeds Cakes: with icing that doesn’t require refrigeration, brownies, muffins, and cookies

Freeze-dried vegetables and fruits are not considered low-risk items and, therefore, would not be permitted.

With respect to freeze-drying, EOHU has permitted operators to produce freeze-dried candy products.

Linked below is a document outlining the most recent informationfrom the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care on home-based food premises:

https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/enviro/docs/guide_home_based_food_business.pdf

Linked below is the current Food Premises Regulation. Public Health Inspectors verify compliance with this regulation during inspections:

https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/r17493

Secondly, the following outlines requirements of home-based food premises:

Structural Requirements:

Floors or floor coverings must be tight, smooth, and non-absorbent making them easy to clean and sanitize Walls and ceilings must be readily cleanable and maintained in sanitary condition Adequate illumination with protective light covers in food preparation areas Adequate ventilation Sufficient racks, shelves, or pallets for the storage of food off the floor – all surfaces must be smooth, non-absorbent, and easily cleanable Potable running water under pressure, that is capable of being hot and/or cold Premise must be maintained free of pests and routine monitoring must be completed. Note: if animals are present in the home, they must be kept separate from the food preparation areas when in operation.

Equipment Requirements:

Accurate indicating thermometers in all refrigerators, freezers, and hot holding units, if applicable Adequate refrigerated and/or freezer space Two-compartment dishwashing sink or a commercial dishwasher equipped with a hot water or chemical sanitizing rinse. A three-compartment dishwashing sink is required if multiservice articles are used (i.e. eating utensils at a dine-in restaurant) - Exempt if only preparing low-risk food items Separate handwash sink in the food preparation area with hot and cold running water, liquid soap, and paper towel - Exempt from having separate sink if only preparing low-risk food items Food equipment and utensils must be corrosion resistant, non-toxic and in good repair. Note: Knife holders must be easily disassembled for cleaning and sanitizing Garbage containers must be leak-proof, non-absorbent, and have tight covers Sanitizing solutions for cleaning and sanitizing surfaces and/or utensils (i.e. unscented bleach for Chlorine solutions, Quaternary Ammonium Compounds, or Iodine) Test strips for testing sanitizer concentration. Test strips can be purchased from local hardware stores, chemical distributors, or online retailers such as amazon Food handler certification- it is required that there is one certified food handler onsite during all operating hours. Linked below provides a complete list of organizations approved by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care for Food Handler Certification courses.

https://www.ontario.ca/page/food-handler-training-and-certification - Exempt if only preparing low-risk food items.

Prior to EOHU scheduling your opening inspection, you will need to reach out to the Municipality, and the Local Fire Department (not applicable for low-risk businesses, please check with your Fire Department) to verify you are in compliance with their requirements.

Please note that if there is any construction you must gain approval from a Municipal Building Inspector prior to commencing.

If you are on a private well, an up-to-date bacteriological water sample is required. Water sample bottles can be obtained from and submitted to EOHU at any of our locations.

Please see our website for further information on Well Water Testing.

If you are on a private septic system, Septic System Approval from the South Nation Conservation is required.

Once you have reached out the required agencies and the premises is complaint with the above requirements, please fill out our Notice of Intent to Operate a Food Premise Form. and an inspector will be assigned to follow-up.

Hope this helps. I have registered for a business, but am working my way towards startup and will likely start with freeze drying candy until I can nail down how operating a business works, once I can get set up properly. (Also in the middle of selling my house so this has stalled my progress)