I have submitted my application to make some candies with hemp. No cbd or cbg or ANYTHING. Just fucking hemp oil and hemp seeds.
It’s been 2 months and they still haven’t approved it. On the application it says it takes 10 days for the application to be processed…
I am getting super tired of how inefficient Illinois Department of Health is. The last time I spoke to them they said they had to ask the FDA about the products…
I am losing time and money. What can I do to get these fucks to approve the damn application? I have seen Fucking synthetic delta 8 products get approved for food manufacturing but for some reason my hemp candies are taking them ages to approve?
I feel like this is being done deliberately by IDPH in an attempt to help their friends who are in the industry.
They seem to be taking their sweet time with everything, as I’m sure you know dispensary winners (finalists for the lottery) were just announced, delayed from May.
If they said they have to ask the FDA about your food product - then I’m going to make an assumption that you filed inappropriately. You want to make an edible product - from Hemp, which is covered by the USDA, not the FDA (yes the FDA cares, but its the USDA that monitors the hemp program not them, unless you claim it cures a condition or helps relieve a symptom, which I’m assuming you are not doing).
This says to me that its probably an issue with your labeling (regardless of CBD or whatever) that is causing the problem, not your process or anything like that.
I think its probably paranoia about them dragging their feet. I like to remind myself that the government wants your filing fees and your taxes. Dragging their feet doesn’t get them those things very quickly. Illinois is notorious for corruption… but at the Health Department? Gees.
If you want to talk more about labeling or something, please let me know. I did a webinar on it earlier this year for NCIA.
Sorry this is such a hassle. If you go forward without a permit - make sure you do so under small producer rules, limit quantities, and definitely do not do anything else that is even close to illegal, because you don’t want to give them cause to come calling.
There’s also some talk about rules specific to “candy” because you know…the children. So you may be caught in a net that says no hemp for children with your “candy”. In either case - they should be able to tell you what’s happening, what the next steps are, and you should be able to amend your application to fix any issues OR submit a new application to start over (sometimes this helps…sometimes it doesn’t).
If that is the application you submitted - then my earlier thought about it being specific to label claims and registering for interstate commerce getting a label approval for your establishment from the FDA may be what is dragging the process. They have a super cool flow chart which I am sure you have seen, but just in case you have not here it is.
Which even talks about the different kind of processes at your house, selling retail vs the wholesale market + wholesale plus interstate commerce.
The application that I submitted, was similar to this. I will upload it when I get the chance. On the bottom of it, it said 10 days for processing.
However, I resubmitted the application you provided last night and made my labels extremely dull. And I got a call back today to schedule an inspection I am super stoked that I can move forward in the business! Thank you so much for you help, I owe you one!!
Do you know what they usually check for during food manufacturing inspections? I am really scared that I wont have my ducks in a row
I haven’t been inspected by the Illinois health department before - but most inspections are very similar. I’ll point you to the SQF inspection checklists - its a specific certification program for food producers, you don’t need to be certified to do most things, but if you can pass the certification checklist you should be able to pass a local inspection.
In general - all the things that were on your application, make sure that you have evidence to support when they come. Like if you say you are refrigerating, have a refrigerator AND a temperature monitoring device.
So glad that the application got you where you are going. Keep a clean place, have everything clearly labeled, and have things stored in the right conditions and you’ll be well on your way to passing an inspection. Generally - inspections happen to make sure that you are at least attempting to meet the regulations, so reviewing those before it happens will help. The second half is all about cleanliness and doing what you say you are doing. So don’t say you are doing things unless you are. Don’t volunteer information, but do answer all questions that are asked. And know that its okay if you have deficiencies - you can all take corrective action and move forward.
that inspection list looks so long. I am getting my food service sanitation manager license this weekend, so hopefully it will also prepare me for the inspection as well!
I am gonna be using a shared kitchen, at a decent price too. So I think they will have mostly everything ready for the inspection.I will be sure to keep you updated on the results and will send you a sample of what I am making.
Thank you again for everything and wish me luck for the certification and inspection!
