Licensing Modernization - Update
Revisions to the MDA food licensing law were signed into law on May 23, 2025, and are in effect starting August 1, 2025. Changes are now in place for all new food businesses, and existing food businesses will be updated as they renew their licenses. For more detail on the changes, please see House File 2446, lines 78.13 through 89.5. More information about the process, including summary reports, are on MDA’s Food Licensing Modernization webpage.
The Manufactured Food Program licenses and inspects wholesale food handlers located in Minnesota.
- Wholesale food handlers are manufacturers or warehouses handling food products for wholesale distribution.
- Products or processes regulated by the Manufactured Food Program include, but are not limited to, bakeries (cookies, cakes, bread, donuts, pies), low acid or acidified processors (canned vegetables, pickled vegetables, BBQ sauce, salad dressing), fresh cut produce, coffee roasters, beverage processors (bottled water, juice, pop, energy drinks), alcohol processors (beer, wine, distilled spirits), fish/seafood processors (pickled herring, smoked fish, shrimp), dietary supplements, food salvors, vegetable freezing plants, and food warehouses (storing ambient, refrigerated, or frozen foods).
- There are two other regulatory programs that cover meat and dairy products.
- Firms that commercially slaughter animals or poultry and/or process meat or poultry items for resale, are regulated and inspected by the MDA Meat Inspection Program or the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS).
- Firms that produce dairy products, including milk, cheese, ice cream, dried milk, etc. are regulated and inspected by the MDA Dairy Inspection Program.
The Manufactured Food Program has a team of food safety inspectors that conduct unannounced inspections. Inspectors conduct risk-based inspections to assess the safety of the food as it relates to public health and compliance with applicable regulations. Inspections include a review of the firm’s food safety plans, physical facilities, process flow, sanitation, allergen controls, supply chain, food safety monitoring records, and employee training. Inspectors may collect investigative samples of food, water, or environmental samples during inspections to support their risk-based inspections. Samples are analyzed by the MDA's Laboratory Services Division.
