	AllExperts > Food Safety Issues
	Search

About Carol Schlitt
Expertise
I can answer questions on home food safety, sanitation, home food preservation and commercial food safety (HACCP).

Experience
I am an Extension educator, nutrition, wellness and food safety. I am a certified HACCP manager and a food safety instructor for the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Organizations
International Association for Food Protection, American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (Certified CFCS), National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, Society for Nutrition Education.

Education/Credentials
BS - University of Illinois MS - Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville

You are here: Experts > Parenting/Family > Protecting your Home and Family > Food Safety Issues > Packing homemade barbecue sauce

Food Safety Issues - Packing homemade barbecue sauce

Expert: Carol Schlitt - 10/30/2009

Question
I am interested in making a tomato based barbecue sauce and selling it at local farmer's markets.Is canning the only packaging option that I have or is vacuum packing a possibility?

Thanks,
Darcy

Answer
Hi Darcy,

First, you need to check with your local health department to see if tomato-based bbq sauce is allowed to be sold at your local farmer's markets. In Illinois, where I live, the Illinois Department of Public Health Farmer's Market Guidelines say that all low-acid home canned foods and all home vacuum sealed foods are not allowed. While the pH of bbq sauce is typically lower than 4.6 and considered a high acid food, a local health department will probably not allow it to be sold.

The only way they would allow salsa and bbq sauce would be if the products were made in a commercial kitchen and the process were verified by a process authority (an individual that checks the processing and assures that the product is of a safe pH and that the processing procedure is adequate to ensure a safe product).

So...check with your health department.

Good luck.

Carol

Ask a Question