Food Processors

Claudia Coles, Program Manager

For more information, e-mail us or call (360) 902-1876.

Food Processing is the handling or processing of any food in any manner of preparation for sale for human consumption. This includes dried fruits, herbs, teas, baked goods, cider, salad mixes and many other food products which are processed for sale or distribution and food that is custom processed for another party. It also includes repacking foods that are taken from one container in an unwrapped state and transferred or repackaged in another container.

You need a Food Processor License if your process falls into the following categories:

• You cook, bake, freeze, slice, dehydrate, smoke, roast coffee beans, bottle water or repackage any type of food.
• You process/package food for someone else
• You make shelf-stable, low acid canned food i.e.; canned vegetables, canned fish, retorted pouches (vegetable or fish), bread or cake in a jar and chocolate sauce
• You further process finished dairy products (i.e. cheese cutting, flavored dairy products, frozen ice cream desserts)
• You process dietary or nutritional supplements that do not make health claims
• You process food that contains no more than 2% cooked or 3% raw USDA meat ingredients by weight
• You process poultry or wild game
• You are a license Food Service retail bakery inspected by a local health jurisdiction and sell more than 25% of your gross sales off-site
• You are a license Food Service Establishment (i.e. restaurant, caterer, grocery store, bar) and sell food products off-site - this includes internet sales.
• You are a license Winery or Brewery that produces non-alcoholic products

Exceptions

• You merely wash and trim a raw agricultural product and prepare or package for sale in their natural state (i.e. fruits and vegetables)
• You are licensed as a Food Service Establishment and 100% of your sales are on-site
• You process honey and are licensed under Chapter 69.28 RCW Washington State Honey Act
• You are an egg handler/dealer licensed under Chapter 69.25 RCW Washington Wholesome Eggs and Egg Products Act
• You are licensed under Chapter 16.49 RCW Custom Meat Slaughter Act and do NOT process wild game or poultry
• You handle shellfish and have a Certificate of Compliance under Chapter 69.30 RCW Sanitary Control of Shellfish Act
• You are licensed by the Liquor Control Board as a Winery and Brewery operation