Minn. House foils move on home-cooked food sales

People who can pickles or bake brownies to sell at Minnesota roadside stands or farmers' markets will still need a license if they want to peddle more than $5,000 of their product.

The Minnesota House on Thursday rejected an attempt to loosen restrictions, so home cooks could operate license-free until they hit $26,000 in annual sales.

Republican Rep. Jim Newberger says he trusts grandma-made brownies more than food at big buffets. His amendment to an agriculture bill would have still subjected the goods to labeling requirements and some inspections.

But opponents say relaxing rules could let people undercut grocers and pose safety risks when home cooks scale up without full awareness about food chemistry.

In Democratic Rep. Barb Yarusso's words, "even if your guts can take it, not everyone's can."