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For questions about specific recipes, contact your local public health unit.
Information Notice: This guide is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Whether a food is considered appropriate for home preparation depends on ingredients, processing, storage, and how it is sold. If you are unsure, contact your local public health unit before selling.
Low‑risk foods are foods that generally do not require refrigeration or strict time and temperature control for safety. Because they present a lower food safety risk, Ontario allows many of these foods to be prepared in a home kitchen, provided applicable public health requirements are met.
These are examples only. Preparation methods and ingredients can affect whether a product remains low risk.
These foods usually require refrigeration or temperature control and are generally not suitable for a standard home‑based low‑risk food business:
Cheesecakes
Custard pies
Cream‑filled pastries
Cream cheese frosting
Meat pies
Sandwiches
Dairy desserts
Cooked rice
Cooked pasta
Soups
Seafood
Meat products
Ask yourself:
If you're unsure, contact your local public health unit for guidance.
| Product | Usually Low Risk? |
|---|---|
| Chocolate chip cookies | ✔ Usually |
| Banana bread | ✔ Usually |
| Plain sourdough bread | ✔ Usually |
| Brownies | ✔ Usually |
| Fudge | ✔ Usually |
| Cheesecake | ✘ Generally no |
| Cream‑filled donuts | ✘ Generally no |
| Meat pie | ✘ Generally no |
| Butter chicken | ✘ Generally no |
| Soup | ✘ Generally no |
Note: These are general examples. Ingredients and preparation methods can change the classification.
It depends on the recipe. Some shelf‑stable buttercreams may be suitable, while frostings requiring refrigeration generally are not.
Some jams and preserves may qualify as low‑risk foods, but preparation methods matter.
Some custom cakes may be suitable if they remain low risk. Cakes with fillings or frostings requiring refrigeration may require different facilities.
