How to label cottage food in Tennessee (2026 guide)

If you sell baked goods from your home in Tennessee, every item you sell has to be labeled correctly. Tennessee's cottage food law — Tenn. Code §53-1-125 (Food Freedom Act) — is a solid, workable law, but the labeling rules are specific, and getting them wrong means you lose the protection the law gives you.

This guide walks through exactly what goes on a Tennessee cottage food label, gives you a copy-paste template, and covers the edge cases that trip people up. It mirrors our most popular label walkthrough — how to label cottage food in Texas — adapted to Tennessee's rules.

Not legal advice. We're a small apparel brand that cares about home bakers. For anything serious, read the law directly or call Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

What every label must include

Per Tennessee's cottage food labeling rules, every product label must include:

1. The common or usual name of the product (e.g. “Classic Sourdough Loaf” — a brand name alone is not enough).
2. Your business (operation) name and address.
3. An ingredient list in descending order by weight (major allergens called out).
4. A clear notice to the consumer that the food is homemade and not state-inspected (see below).

What Tennessee law actually says

Under the Tennessee Food Freedom Act, homemade food items are exempt from state packaging and labeling laws (except during DOH foodborne illness investigation). No specific labeling requirements are imposed by the statute. Best practice is to include product name, ingredients, and producer contact information.

The 9 federal major allergens you must disclose

• Milk
• Eggs
• Fish
• Shellfish
• Tree nuts
• Peanuts
• Wheat
• Soy
• Sesame (added federally in 2023 — frequently missed)

You don't have to list every ingredient in most states, but you must explicitly name any of these allergens that are present. “May contain” hedging isn't a substitute — if it's in there, name it. Sesame became the 9th federal major allergen in 2023 and is the one most older label templates miss.

The required disclaimer

Tennessee does not mandate one exact sentence, but you must clearly inform the buyer that the food is homemade and has not been inspected by the state. A safe, widely-accepted wording is below — confirm the current requirement with Tennessee Department of Agriculture.

This food was made in a home kitchen that is not inspected by the state or local health department and may contain allergens.

Copy-paste label template

Print it on a sticker, put it on the bag. Adjust the ingredient and allergen lines for each product.

Common labeling mistakes to avoid

1. Forgetting sesame as a major allergen (added federally in 2023 — many older templates list only 8).
2. Using “may contain” when the product actually contains the allergen. Name it if it's present.
3. Leaving off the required disclaimer because you printed small business-card-style labels. The disclaimer is non-negotiable.
4. Handing out unlabeled samples. If you're giving a free taste at a market, the rules still apply.
5. Using a P.O. Box where Tennessee requires a physical address (or use your state-issued ID number instead where allowed).

Quick checklist before you print

• Product common name (not just a brand name)
• Business name on label
• Address or state ID number on label
• All 9 major allergens disclosed if present (including sesame)
• Required disclaimer statement, verbatim
• Packaging prevents contamination

Official sources

• Tennessee Department of Agriculture
• Statute: Tenn. Code §53-1-125 (Food Freedom Act)
• State extension guidance
• Forrager — Tennessee
• Crosodo Tennessee state guide

For the full breakdown of Tennessee's rules — sales cap, registration, county zoning — see the Crosodo Tennessee state guide. If your Tennessee county is missing from our directory, tell us and we'll add it next.