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Ensuring a safe food supply protects public health, minimizes your liability, and instills customer satisfaction. The responsibility of the Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection is to ensure that all consumers who “pay” for a food product receive one that is safe and wholesome. Our role is to ensure that foods made and sold in Wisconsin meet applicable state and federal food safety regulatory standards.  \nThis booklet is a resource to guide you through the licensing process, explain the requirements and ensure you have done your research before pursuing your application.  \nor 48 million people  \nget sick each year from contaminated food.  \n[Page 5]  \nDO I NEED A LICENSE?  \nA retail food license or food processing plant license is required to make and sell food items to  \nthe public.  \nIf you plan to sell your products primarily to consumers directly, you will need a retail food  \nlicense. Internet sales are considered retail sales.  \nIf you plan to sell primarily through wholesale distribution, you will need a food processing  \nplant license issued by our Department. Wholesaling under a food processing plant license  \nallows you to sell your products anywhere and to anyone; this includes other retail food stores,  \nrestaurants and the internet.  \nThere are certain types of foods-specifically canned items and processed fish-that can only  \nbe made in a facility licensed as a food processing plant.  \n[Page 7]  \nKEY REQUIREMENTS FOR LICENSING:  \nPHYSICAL FACILITY, TOXIC MATERIALS, & TOILETS  \n􀂏 Ensure that the location is acceptable to your local zoning board, and obtain a seller’s permit from your local city clerk’s office, if required.  \n􀂏 The facility must be a commercial-grade kitchen. Using your personal home kitchen is not allowed. If you plan to start the business in your home, you must construct a separate kitchen room dedicated to your food business. The dedicated kitchen must have washable floors, walls, and ceilings. The lighting must be adequate for commercial purposes, and the room must be properly ventilated. Some starting operators rent time in a restaurant, school, or church kitchen to satisfy the separate commercial kitchen requirement without having to invest in a new separate kitchen of their own.  \n􀂏 The exterior of the premises must be drained, clean, orderly and free from garbage accumulation or harborage areas for rodents or other pests.  \n􀂏 Ventilation, natural or mechanical, must be adequate to remove excess heat, condensation, smoke or fumes, and odors. Be sure to check with a local fire inspector for specific requirements.  \n􀂏 Walls and ceiling must be smooth, non-absorbent and finished with a light-colored, easily cleanable surface.  \n􀂏 The floors must be smooth, non-absorbent and in good repair. Wood-surfaced floors are not acceptable for most food processing facilities.  \n􀂏 Processing areas, equipment, and utensils must be thoroughly cleaned immediately after the day’s processing or more often as required.  \n􀂏 Lighting must be sufficient for the intended purpose. Light bulbs or fluorescent tubes must be shielded or shatter-resistant to prevent contamination of food in the event ","cbCainxCdukqF7R9","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCainxCdukqF7R9","pdf",414314,12,"English","# Why is a license required?\n# Do I need a license?\n# What is the application process?\n# Key requirements for licensing: Physical Facility, Toxic Materials, & Toilets\n# Key requirements for licensing: Equipment, Utensils & Linens\n# Key requirements for licensing: Water, Plumbing & Waste\n# Key requirements for licensing: Food\n# Key requirements for licensing: Personnel\n# Resources","[{\"question\":\"Why does Wisconsin require a food license?\",\"answer\":\"Food licensing and inspection aim to keep food wholesome and safe, protect public health, reduce liability, and help ensure customers receive safe products under state and federal standards.\"},{\"question\":\"When is a retail food license required versus a food processing plant license?\",\"answer\":\"A retail food license is needed to make and sell food items primarily to consumers directly (including internet sales). A food processing plant license is required when selling primarily through wholesale distribution.\"},{\"question\":\"What are key facility and hygiene requirements for licensing?\",\"answer\":\"Facilities must be commercial-grade and meet standards for zoning, dedicated washable surfaces, proper ventilation, pest control, and safe handling of poisonous and hazardous substances in segregated storage.\"}]","WISCONSIN FOOD PROCESSING AND FOOD SALES REQUIREMENTS - FOOD SAFETY & LICENSING GUIDE | PDF",1790554104]