No, your pickle is not illegal in Colorado. The notion stems from outdated myths about a law requiring pickles to bounce, but no such regulation exists today.
Cottage Foods Act
Colorado’s Cottage Foods Act explicitly permits selling homemade pickled fruits and vegetables from home kitchens if they achieve a finished equilibrium pH of 4.6 or below to prevent bacterial growth like botulism. Producers must test products at state labs (often free for pickles), complete food safety training, and label items properly, with annual sales capped at $15,000 for most vendors.
Historical Context
A 1957 federal standard once evaluated pickle acidity via a “bounce test” for texture, fueling urban legends of illegality for non-bouncing pickles, but this was repealed long ago and never banned personal consumption or production. Colorado legalized cottage pickle sales around 2020 via a “Homemade Pickle Bill,” expanding safe home food entrepreneurship.
Restrictions
Potentially hazardous foods like low-acid canned goods or those needing refrigeration remain prohibited under the Act; violations risk fines or shutdowns at markets. Personal backyard pickling for non-commercial use faces no state bans.
SOURCES
[1](https://coloradosun.com/2020/01/01/cottage-foods-law-in-colorado/)
[2](https://cdphe.colorado.gov/dehs/cottage-foods)
[3](https://www.cbsnews.com/colorado/news/homemade-pickle-bill-among-dozens-signed-into-law/)
[4](https://cofarmtomarket.com/value-added-products/cottage-foods/cottage-foods-faq/)
[5](https://ij.org/issues/economic-liberty/homemade-food-seller/colorado/)
