Food Processing & Storage

Food Processing Plants and Warehouses means a commercial operation that manufactures, packages, labels or stores food for human consumption and does not provide food directly to a consumer.

Warehouse means a food storage facility.

Click on the Tabs above for additional information on:

Laws and Regulations

• Code of Federal Regulations

• Iowa Food Code

Basic Requirements
• Information on the basic requirements of operating a Food Processing Plant or Food Storage Warehouse in the State of Iowa

Licensing
• Food Processing and Warehouse license application

Resources
• U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) Sources

Iowa Law

Iowa Code Chapter 137F, “Food Establishments and Food Processing Plants”

Iowa Administrative Rules

Code of Federal Regulations

Food Labeling (Applies to all types of packaged foods & dietary supplements)
- 21 CFR, Part 101
Conventional Foods (i.e. Breads, cereals, candies, chocolates, snack foods, beverages, sweeteners, processed fruits and/or vegetables, ice, and etc.)
- 21 CFR, Part 117
Acidified foods (i.e. pickled vegetables, pickles, some salsa formulations, and etc.)
Bottled Water & Drinking Water
Dietary Supplements
- 21 CFR, Part 111
- 21 CFR, Part 117
Fish, Fishery Products, & Seafoods
- 21 CFR, Part 117
- 21 CFR, Part 123
Juices (i.e. apple juice, apple cider, grape juice, tomato juice, and etc.)
- 21 CFR, Part 117
- 21 CFR, Part 120
Low Acid Canned Foods (LACF) (i.e. canned vegetables, soups, and etc.)

The basic facility requirements are not prescriptively defined within the laws and regulations for manufacturers or warehouses.

Please contact the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals to be directed to the appropriate person to answer specific questions: 515-725-5342

Completed license applications and documents must be submitted to the appropriate Regulatory Authority at least 30 days prior to the anticipated opening date.
A separate license must be applied for at each location where food production, sales or service take place.
A license is non-transferable between locations or ownership.
Once the application, other required documents and fees are received and processed, the Department will review the documents. Once the application is processed the applicant will be mailed or e-mailed the assigned inspector’s contact information. The applicant is responsible for contacting the inspector to schedule a pre-operational inspection.
Plan submission is required; the Department will review the plans and communicate the results of the plan review to the applicant. Plan reviews generally take 3 to 4 weeks. It would be beneficial to submit the application prior to beginning construction, remodeling, or alteration of a facility. There is no fee for plan review. Please note, failure to provide all required information could delay plan approval. If you are remodeling a licensed facility already owned by you, submit plans only and notify your inspector.