Division of Environmental Health Food Safety and Sanitation Program

Food Products That Require a Permit

Any food that requires temperature control for safety, or is otherwise potentially hazardous, must be sold under a permit.

These foods support the growth of dangerous bacteria if they are not prepared correctly or held at an appropriate temperature and those bacteria can cause consumers to become sick.

Food Service

Operations serving food to the public are required to hold a permit, unless they are otherwise exempt. Examples of food service operations at farmers markets that must be permitted include:

• Food trucks and other mobile units (Visit the Mobile Food Units webpage)
• Temporary food service (Visit the Temporary Food Service webpage)

Food and Agricultural Products

A permit is required before an operation may sell any of the food and agricultural products listed below:

Meat and Seafood

• Frozen or refrigerated meat or poultry
• Frozen or refrigerated seafood
• Shelf-stable products such as jerky or canned salmon
  • Note: If these items are from a permitted processor, they can be sold without additional permitting

Dairy

• Cheeses
• Dairy products (including ice cream)

Fruits and Vegetables

• Seed sprouts
• Fresh vegetable juices
• Any fruit or vegetable that has been processed
  • Processing includes: Peeling, slicing, chopping, shredding, shucking, and coring
• Food products made with cooked vegetable products that are not acidified

Other Items

• Garlic in oil mixtures
• Baked products that require refrigeration (e.g. cheesecake, custards, lemon meringue)
• Non-acidic canned foods (i.e. canned vegetables that are not pickled or fermented)
• Pesto
• Bottled water
• Cold brew coffee

Raw, Whole Fruits and Vegetables

Most produce sold in its raw, whole, and natural state is exempt from the permit requirement. This includes vegetables, herbs, microgreens, and fruit.

Fruits and vegetables are also exempt if they have been rinsed or trimmed of unnecessary parts, or if the greens have been separated from the roots. However, if any further processing (peeling, slicing, chopping, shredding, shucking, coring, etc.) is done, the product will require a permit. Sprouts always require a permit.

Cottage Foods

Non-potentially hazardous foods can be sold in Alaska without a permit if certain conditions are met.

These foods do not support the growth of dangerous bacteria because of their water activity values, pH values, or a combination of water activity and pH values. Examples include honey, jams and jellies, cookies, and salsa.

Regulated Egg Sales

The sale of eggs is regulated if the eggs are not sold by the producer directly to the consumer.

1. A producer selling eggs to an intermediary: The producer sells the eggs to someone who is not the final consumer
2. An intermediary selling eggs: Someone who is not the producer sells the eggs to the final consumer, a repacker, or a retail store

The Department of Environmental Conservation and the Department of Natural Resources are responsible for regulating these types of food and agricultural sales.

Exempt Egg Sales

The sale of eggs by the producer directly to the consumer is an exempt activity and is not regulated by the state of Alaska. This includes producers selling eggs on their farm, at the farmers market, and at roadside stands directly to the final consumer.