Terms of Service

Last Updated: February 2026

Effective Date: January 1, 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By downloading, installing, or using the Ingredient Helper mobile application ("App"), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service ("Terms"). If you do not agree to these Terms, do not use the App.

These Terms constitute a legally binding agreement between you and Ingredient Helper ("we," "our," or "us"). Please read them carefully.

2. Description of Service

Ingredient Helper is a free mobile application that provides:

• Barcode scanning to retrieve product nutrition information
• AI-powered food image analysis and ingredient identification
• Allergen detection and dietary restriction filtering
• Recipe discovery based on scanned ingredients
• Nutrition tracking and daily intake monitoring
• Shopping list management
• Integration with Apple Health and Google Fit (optional)

3. User Accounts

3.1 Account Creation

You may use the App without creating an account. If you choose to create an account, you must:

• Provide accurate and complete information
• Maintain the security of your account credentials
• Be at least 13 years of age (or the minimum age required in your jurisdiction)
• Notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account

3.2 Account Responsibility

You are responsible for all activity that occurs under your account. We are not liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain account security.

4. Acceptable Use

You agree to use the App only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree NOT to:

• Use the App in any way that violates applicable laws or regulations
• Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or disassemble the App
• Use automated tools to scrape, crawl, or extract data from the App
• Interfere with or disrupt the App's infrastructure or servers
• Impersonate any person or entity
• Submit false, misleading, or inaccurate information
• Use the App for commercial purposes without our express written permission

5. Nutritional Information Disclaimer

IMPORTANT: The nutritional information, ingredient analysis, and health insights provided by Ingredient Helper are for informational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice.

• Nutritional data is sourced from third-party databases and may not be 100% accurate
• Allergen information may be incomplete or incorrect; always read product labels
• Do not rely solely on the App for medical dietary decisions
• Consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment
• Product formulations may change; always verify current packaging

6. Intellectual Property

6.1 Our Content

The App, including its design, features, and content developed by Ingredient Helper, is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. You may not copy, modify, or distribute our proprietary content without permission.

6.2 Third-Party Content

Product information, images, and nutritional data are sourced from third-party providers including Open Food Facts and TheMealDB, which are subject to their respective licenses and terms.

6.3 Your Content

You retain ownership of any content you submit. By submitting content, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use it for providing and improving the Service.

7. Privacy

Your use of the App is also governed by our Privacy Policy, which is incorporated into these Terms by reference. By using the App, you consent to the collection and use of your information as described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Third-Party Services

The App integrates with third-party services including:

• Open Food Facts – Product database (openfoodfacts.org)
• TheMealDB – Recipe database (themealdb.com)
• Google AdMob – Advertising (google.com/admob)
• Firebase – Authentication and analytics (firebase.google.com)
• Apple Health / Google Fit – Health data integration

Your use of these services is subject to their respective terms of service and privacy policies. We are not responsible for the practices of third-party services.

9. Advertising

The App is free to use and is supported by advertising. By using the App, you acknowledge that:

• Ads may be displayed within the App
• Ad personalization is subject to your device settings and applicable law
• You can opt out of personalized advertising in your device settings
• On iOS, you may see an App Tracking Transparency prompt

10. Disclaimers and Limitation of Liability

10.1 Disclaimer of Warranties

THE APP IS PROVIDED "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. WE DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES INCLUDING IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

10.2 Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, INGREDIENT HELPER SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF PROFITS, DATA, OR GOODWILL, ARISING FROM YOUR USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE APP.

OUR TOTAL LIABILITY TO YOU FOR ANY CLAIMS ARISING FROM THESE TERMS OR YOUR USE OF THE APP SHALL NOT EXCEED $100 USD.

11. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Ingredient Helper and its affiliates, officers, agents, and employees from any claims, damages, losses, or expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising from your use of the App or violation of these Terms.

12. Termination

We reserve the right to terminate or suspend your account and access to the App at our sole discretion, without notice, for conduct that we believe violates these Terms or is harmful to other users, us, or third parties.

You may terminate your account at any time by contacting us or deleting the App. Upon termination, your right to use the App will immediately cease.

13. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of material changes by:

• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of these Terms
• Sending an in-app notification

Your continued use of the App after changes become effective constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms.

14. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the United States. Any disputes arising under these Terms shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in the United States.

15. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision will be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining Terms will remain in full force and effect.

16. Entire Agreement

These Terms and our Privacy Policy constitute the entire agreement between you and Ingredient Helper regarding the App and supersede all prior agreements and understandings.