Selling dried sourdough starter in Arizona
What Arizona official sources actually say about selling dried sourdough starter under cottage food law — not named — general non-tcs path — confirm. Last verified 2026-10-15.
If you keep a jar going in Arizona, selling dried sourdough starter is a different cottage-food question than selling bread. The product is flour and water that you fermented, then dried. Official pages almost never use the words “dried starter.” This post only repeats what the current statute, agency page, or extension guide actually says — and where that source is silent.
Dried starter is not automatically a baked good
A loaf is baked. Dried starter is a dry culture. Some states publish a closed allowed-foods list (baked goods, jams, dried herbs). Some allow non-TCS / non-potentially-hazardous foods as a class. A few name baking mixes, dry mixtures, or — in Kansas — dehydrated sourdough starter. We do not stretch a baked-goods line into a dry-culture line unless a source supports that read.
The quick facts
- Law
- Arizona Cottage Food Program
- Statute
- A.R.S. §36-931 / §36-932
- Agency
- Arizona Department of Health Services
- Dried-starter read
- Not named — general non-TCS path — confirm
- Annual sales cap
- No annual sales cap published in the statute row
- Registration / permit
- Registration required (statute row): Yes.
- Kitchen inspection
- Kitchen inspection (statute row): No.
- Food-handler training
- Food-handler training (statute row): Yes (specific course).
- Last verified
- 2026-10-15
Where in-state sales usually go
Sales cap, registration, allowed foods, and every county — free on Crosodo.
From the Crosodo statute row: Retail and wholesale sales are allowed for non-dairy/non-meat products; stores must display homemade products separately from commercially produced items; dairy and meat products must be sold directly in person (online orders allowed but must be delivered in person, not via third-party platforms).
County zoning, market manager rules, and home-occupation permits still apply on top of the state food rule. Start with the Arizona state guide and your county page.
Labeling
Labels must include the producer's name and registration number, all ingredients and production date, and the required allergen/inspection disclaimer statement. For online listings, the same information must appear prominently. A department-provided website for consumer reporting must also be referenced.
Walk the fields in the Arizona cottage food labeling guide. Do not copy another state's disclaimer.
Interstate / shipping across state lines
Cottage-food / homemade-food exemptions are in-state instruments. They do not, by themselves, authorize interstate commerce. Confirm manufactured-food licensing with the state agency and FDA facility registration for your facts. We do not invent a permit name or a fee.
Cottage-food exemptions are state instruments. They do not replace federal rules that apply when food enters interstate commerce. If you want to ship out of state, ask the state manufactured-food program and confirm FDA facility registration for your situation. We do not invent a license name or a fee here.
Official sources
Every number and product claim on this page is tied to a source opened on 2026-10-15, plus the Crosodo statute row and — where we have them — the regulations library notes for Maryland, Colorado, and Virginia.
- A.R.S. § 36-931 — last verified 2026-10-15
- A.R.S. §36-931 / §36-932
- Arizona Department of Health Services
- AZDHS Cottage Food Program
- A.R.S. § 36-932 labeling
- Arizona extension
- Arizona cottage food state guide
- Selling cottage food in Arizona
- Arizona labeling guide
- All 50 states — dried starter hub
Arizona dried starter FAQ
Can I sell dried sourdough starter in Arizona?
A.R.S. § 36-931 defines a cottage food product as food prepared in a registered home kitchen that is either not potentially hazardous or is potentially hazardous, as defined in rule — it does not name dried starter. Non-TCS dry goods are the usual cottage path. Register with AZDHS and keep an active food-handler card. Confirm the product on the current AZDHS cottage food program page.
What is the Arizona cottage-food sales cap?
No annual sales cap published in the statute row
Can I ship dried sourdough starter out of Arizona under cottage food law?
Cottage-food / homemade-food exemptions are in-state instruments. They do not, by themselves, authorize interstate commerce. Confirm manufactured-food licensing with the state agency and FDA facility registration for your facts. We do not invent a permit name or a fee.
Crosodo Journal entries are recipe, craft, and cottage-food notes for home bakers. Recipes assume an active starter and basic equipment. Cottage food sales are governed by your state's law — start with the free state directory, check a product with Can I sell this?, or grab a label template. Not legal advice.
