Can I sell it? Every food, A to Z
Whether a food can be made in a home kitchen, and whether it can be sold online, depends on how risky it is. “Online” below is the answer for food made in an approved kitchen or under the right licence. Look one up, or browse by group.
Baked goods
Plain baked goods keep safely at room temperature, so BC lets you bake them at home for a farmers’ market. Milk, butter and eggs are fine baked into a dough or batter. A moist filling or topping — cream, custard, cheese, meat, pumpkin, meringue — needs a fridge, and that makes the whole item higher-risk. The 2026 draft also rules out animal fats like lard, and fresh fruit added after baking.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bannock | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Bread, buns & rolls | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Brownies | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Butter tarts | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Cakes & cupcakes | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Cakes & pastries with cream, cheese or custard | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Cheesecake | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Cinnamon buns | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Cookies | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Croissants | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Doughnuts | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Empanadas, samosas, patties & pupusas | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Focaccia | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Fruit pies | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Macarons & cream-filled cookies | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Muffins | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Pumpkin, custard, cream & meringue pies | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Savoury pastries, buns & pies | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Scones | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Turnovers & Danish pastries | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
Jams, jellies & preserves
Acid and sugar are what keep a jar safe on a shelf. BC measures them as pH (acidity) and water activity (how much free water is left). A food at pH 4.6 or below, or water activity 0.85 or below, does not support the growth of the bacteria that cause food poisoning — so, as long as it isn’t fermented or pressure-canned and keeps at room temperature, it can be made at home for a market.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple sauce | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Jams & jellies | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Relish | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Syrups | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Wine & herb vinegars | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
Pickles & canned vegetables
A vinegar pickle is safe on the shelf when it is acidic enough: pH 4.6 or below. Pickles made by fermentation, pickled eggs and canned low-acid vegetables are higher-risk — and pressure canning is not permitted for anyone preparing food at home for sale.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canned low-acid vegetables | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Vinegar pickles | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
Salsas, sauces, dips & spreads
BC lists every dip, plus hummus, pesto, guacamole, garlic spreads, flavoured oils and nut butters, as higher-risk — vegan versions included. Salsa is the exception: it can be made at home when it is acidic enough.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antipasto | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Dips | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Guacamole | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Herb, garlic & flavoured oils | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Hot sauce | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Hummus | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Nut butters | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Pesto & garlic spreads | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Salsa | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Sauces made with fresh tomatoes | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
Fermented foods & drinks
Fermentation relies on microbes to make a food safe, and BC treats every fermented food as higher-risk — even one that tests acidic — because the process itself can go wrong. That covers kimchi, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, natto and dosa batter. (Fully baked sourdough bread is the one fermented food the draft lists as lower-risk.)
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black garlic | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Century eggs (pidan) | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Dosa & idli batter | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Fermented vegetables & sauces | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Fesikh | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Kimchi | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Kombucha & jun | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Miso, soy sauce & koji foods | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Natto | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Sauerkraut | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Water kefir | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
Candy, chocolate & sweets
Candy is mostly sugar with very little free water, so it keeps at room temperature. Chocolate has its own conditions: re-melt chocolate from a maker who certifies it free of Salmonella — you can’t make chocolate from the bean at home for sale.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chocolate & carob | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Chocolate truffles & cream-filled bonbons | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Freeze-dried candy | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Fudge | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Hard candy & toffee | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Popcorn | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
Grains, dried fruit, tea, coffee & noodles
Dry foods keep because there is too little water for bacteria to grow. The details matter: coffee must be whole roasted beans, noodles must be dried and egg-free, and a freeze-dried meal is higher-risk.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried fruit | Lower-risk | Yesmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Dried herbs, spice blends & rubs | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Dried noodles & pasta | Lower-risk, with conditions | Yes, ifmarkets only | Yes, if |
| Freeze-dried meals | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Fresh pasta & egg noodles | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Granola | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Loose-leaf tea | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Roasted coffee beans | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Whole grains, flour & dry cereal | Lower-risk | Grown or raised | Ask first |
Drinks
Most drinks are higher-risk. Juice, cold brew, chai and lassi can all grow bacteria, so BC requires an approved kitchen for them — whether you sell them as a drink or use them as an ingredient.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chai & lassi | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Cold brew coffee & tea | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Fruit & vegetable juice | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
Prepared meals & savoury food
Cooked meals are moist, often contain meat, dairy or eggs, and have to be kept hot or cold — so BC treats them as higher-risk, vegetarian and vegan versions included. They need an approved commercial kitchen.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage rolls | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Cooked beans & bean salads | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Perogies & dumplings | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Ready meals & meal prep | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Salads | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Soups, stews & chilis | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Stir-fries & chop suey | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Tamales, tacos & burritos | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Tofu, tempeh & plant-based meats | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
Dairy & egg dishes
Milk, cheese, yogurt, butter and ice cream must be made in a licensed dairy plant — in every region. Dishes built on eggs or dairy, like custard and egg salad, are higher-risk, and so are plant-based cheeses, milks and egg substitutes.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custards, puddings & crème brûlée | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Egg salad & egg dishes | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Milk, cheese, yogurt, butter & ice cream | Its own rules | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Pickled eggs | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Plant-based cheese, milk & egg substitutes | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Raw (unpasteurised) milk | Its own rules | Grown or raised | No |
Eggs
Eggs in the shell can carry Salmonella on the outside, so BC sets conditions for selling them at a market: clean and uncracked, kept at 4°C or colder, in crates labelled with your farm’s name, address and packing date.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eggs in the shell | Its own rules | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
Meat & poultry
Raw meat and poultry must be slaughtered at a licensed plant and packaged at an approved food premises; at a market it is sold frozen — selling it chilled means meeting the full Food Premises Regulation, so ask Island Health first. Anything cooked, cured or dried with meat — sausages, jerky, meat pies — is higher-risk.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked & slow-cooked meat | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Jerky & dried meat | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Raw meat | Its own rules | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Raw poultry | Its own rules | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Sausages, cured & processed meat | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Wild game (hunted) | Its own rules | Grown or raised | No |
Fish & seafood
Fish and seafood must be processed and packaged under the right licence, and every dish made with them — smoked and candied salmon included — is higher-risk.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresh & frozen fish and seafood | Its own rules | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Smoked, candied & cooked fish | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Sport-caught fish | Its own rules | Grown or raised | No |
Fruit, vegetables & microgreens
Whole, uncut fruit and vegetables are lower-risk. Once they are cut, sprouted or juiced they need a fridge and become higher-risk — and that includes cut microgreens.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Creamed corn | Higher-risk | No | Yes, if |
| Cut & bagged salad greens | Not named in the guideline | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Cut fruit & vegetables | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |
| Cut microgreens | Lower-risk | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Foraged mushrooms & wild plants | Not named in the guideline | Grown or raised | Ask first |
| Microgreens (live, in their growing medium) | Lower-risk | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Sprouted seeds | Higher-risk | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Whole fruit & vegetables | Lower-risk | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
Honey
Pure honey is lower-risk. Add anything to it — vanilla, lavender, fruit, spices, chili — and it is no longer on the lower-risk list.
| Food | Classed as | From a home kitchen | Online |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honey | Lower-risk | Grown or raised | Yes, if |
| Infused & flavoured honey | Not named in the guideline | Ask first | Yes, if |