The bill HB2864 amends existing Arizona law to include precut and processed freeze-dried fruits and vegetables as cottage food products that are exempt from public health inspections. Currently, cottage food products are defined as non-hazardous foods prepared in a private home kitchen for commercial purposes, which do not require time or temperature control for safety. The new bill expands this definition to explicitly include the specified freeze-dried items, thereby allowing them to be produced and sold without the same regulatory oversight as other food products.

Additionally, the bill makes technical and conforming changes to the language of the law, ensuring clarity and consistency in the regulations governing cottage food products. It does not introduce any new fiscal impacts to the state General Fund. Overall, the primary difference between current law and the proposed bill is the inclusion of freeze-dried fruits and vegetables in the list of exempt cottage food products, which broadens the scope of what can be sold under this category without public health inspection.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 36-136
House Engrossed Version: 36-136