Can I bring a cottage food business to the VI?

Where's that?

East End in front of the Reef condos. (tu)

There is no enforcement of practically any laws in the VI. You can feel free to do as you please.

Unless, of course, you have integrity.

There is no enforcement of practically any laws in the VI. You can feel free to do as you please.

A ridiculous observation and not at all helpful.

Spot on.

Certainly seems to be plenty of home baking going on on island(stx)
No idea if it's licensed or not though.

LOTS of it. Not that its not delicious but I don't see how this its allowed. I see advertising all the time one Facebook for food plates cooked in home kitchens - self proclaimed no license. Without inspection who knows whats happening and what if someone gets sick and it may be extreme but dies from something cooked in a home kitchen. I got a pretty nasty case of food poisoning once, hospital for a week and stomach pumping with charcoal down the gullet - it was horrible. I argued for hours with a lady that saw nothing wrong with it. Its dangerous and illegal for a reason. On the flipside it might be cleaner than some island restaurants lol. JK.

If home cooks does the legwork and have the proper permitting then I have no problems at all with that.

Certainly seems to be plenty of home baking going on on island(stx)
No idea if it's licensed or not though.

On the flipside it might be cleaner than some island restaurants lol. JK.

I've had a few bouts with food poisoning as well (not on STX), from licensed/inspected establishments. So the odds may be better with the license but no guarantees. I'd expect food poisoning from most baked goods would be rare.

The whole argument that home-based unlicensed food businesses are more detrimental to your health and wellbeing than licensed establishments is without merit.

Restaurants have to pass inspection by DOH before first being licensed. Once they're licensed, that license is renewed every year but not with any requirement of another health inspection. Unannounced health inspections are done sporadically, ideally are conducted annually but rarely so, with many establishments going for years with none being done.

If a complaint about unsanitary conditions is made against an establishment, DOH will make an inspection and, if the complaints are confirmed, the establishment is closed until the issues are resolved. Only continued complaints and defaults result in a business losing its license.

It's extremely rare that a random case of food poisoning can be proven caused by a specific provider.

Licensed or unlicensed, that alone has absolutely nothing to do with your chances of contracting food poisoning.