Va Home-Based Bakers: Anyone Out There Who Uses Imbc/smbc?

Business By Blueridgebuttercream Updated 4 Mar 2012 , 4:04am by costumeczar

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Blueridgebuttercream Posted 3 Mar 2012 , 12:52am
post #1 of 5

In another thread, someone mentioned that it can be hard to get approval from the Dept. of Health to use egg white based icings. So, is there anyone out there who has successfully used IMBC or SMBC in your business?

If so, did you have to do anything special to be allowed to use them?

Have you found the use of "gourmet" icings to be a viable business plan for you?

I'm just curious to know about other people's experiences, thanks in advance!

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bluenote865 Posted 3 Mar 2012 , 1:03am
post #2 of 5

Hi there, you might be talking about the thread I started about getting health inspections and the cottage food law. I think it depends on whether you're operating under the CFL or are operating from an inspected kitchen.

My understanding from others on this forum is that there's no problem if your kitchen is inspected to use the egg-white based buttercreams as long as your recipe and processes are approved by the health dpt. If on the other hand, you're not inspected and are operating under the CFL, it's risky because they consider egg whites in buttercream to be perishable (even though they are completely cooked) thereby violating the CFL.

I use the European buttercreams too. I'm just getting started in VA and I'm going to get my kitchen inspected or operate out of a commercial kitchen just to be safe. Until then, I'm not chancing it!

Maybe there's someone else out there in VA who uses egg white-based buttercreams and operates under the CFL, and they can set us straight?

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Blueridgebuttercream Posted 3 Mar 2012 , 1:10am
post #3 of 5

Yep, your thread is the one that sparked this train of thought. I too am hoping to operate with an inspection eventually, so I'm hoping that some of the established decorators will jump in and bestow their wisdom on us icon_biggrin.gif

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AnnieCahill Posted 3 Mar 2012 , 2:34pm
post #4 of 5

Under VA CFL, I believe you can't use them unless you go through the process of having the kitchen inspected (you have to use all non-perishables). Kara (costumeczar) uses IMBC and she's in VA, but she has mentioned before that she had to convince the inspector that the IMBC was completely safe.

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costumeczar Posted 4 Mar 2012 , 4:04am
post #5 of 5

Yeah, I had to argue with them about it. You can't use it if you're not inspected, they consider it hazardous because the heat that's involved isn't high enough to pasteurize the eggs, and it needs to be refrigerated. No meringue-based buttercreams, custards, curds or anything that you have to keep in the fridge if you're not inspected.

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