Am I permitted to sell perishables directly to consumers, like cookies or something? Is there anything that is stopping me from doing this, or any laws that keep me from selling Grandmas Special Chocolate Chip recipie by the dozens over the net?
First, I’ve gotta tell you that I don’t have a firm factual answer.
However, if you really want to do this contact your county’s health department with a hypothetical question about selling prepared foods over the Internet. It may fall under the same regulations that govern restaurants, bakeries, etc. I don’t know if selling over the Internet makes it any different. I had a friend who taught cake decorating part time and she was thinking about starting to sell decorated cakes. She found out that to do this out of her home (assuming she obeyed the law) required inspections, and things like an oven used for cakes could not also be used to cook meat, IIRC.
Hard to keep a low profile and still sell over the 'Net, IMHO.
You might also have to comply with things like the FDA nutritional labeling requirements. Typically fresh-serve bakeries do not have to label, but since you’re selling a product more like a packaged cookie in a grocery store, you may have the labeling requirements. IANAFoodDistributionGuy, so I have no idea where the legal distinction between the two is.