Food Safety Disclaimer

Cooking involves inherent risks. By using SpoonLab ("the Service"), you acknowledge that you have read and understood this disclaimer and agree to cook at your own risk. If you do not agree, please do not use our recipes.

1. Allergen Awareness

Our recipes may contain or come into contact with common allergens including, but not limited to:

• Soy (soy sauce, tofu, soy milk)
• Wheat and gluten (noodles, soy sauce, flour)
• Shellfish and fish (oyster sauce, shrimp paste, fish sauce)
• Tree nuts and peanuts (peanut oil, sesame paste)
• Eggs
• Sesame (sesame oil, sesame seeds)

It is your responsibility to check every ingredient label for allergen information. Manufacturers may change formulations without notice. If you have a severe food allergy, we recommend consulting the ingredient manufacturer directly and discussing dietary changes with a qualified healthcare provider before preparing any recipe from this site.

2. Cooking Safety

Chinese cooking techniques often involve high heat, hot oil, and sharp tools. Please observe the following safety practices:

• Hot oil: Never leave heating oil unattended. Keep a lid or fire blanket nearby. Water on an oil fire will cause a dangerous flare-up — use a lid, baking soda, or a Class B fire extinguisher instead.
• Wok safety: Ensure woks are stable on your cooktop. Round-bottom woks require a wok ring on gas stoves and are not suitable for glass-top electric or induction stoves.
• Knife safety: Chinese cleavers are sharp instruments. Always use a stable cutting board, curl your fingers when chopping, and keep blades sharp (a dull knife is more dangerous than a sharp one).
• Cross-contamination: Wash hands, utensils, and surfaces after handling raw meat, poultry, seafood, and eggs. Use separate cutting boards for raw proteins and ready-to-eat foods.
• Internal temperatures: Use a food thermometer. Poultry should reach 74°C (165°F), ground meats 71°C (160°F), and fish 63°C (145°F).

3. AI Limitations

SpoonLab uses artificial intelligence (Anthropic Claude) to generate ingredient substitutions, recipe adaptations, and cooking suggestions. Please be aware of the following:

• AI-generated content may contain errors or omissions. We review our AI output, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
• AI-suggested ingredient swaps are based on flavor profile similarity, not nutritional equivalence. If you have dietary restrictions or health conditions, verify substitutions with a qualified professional.
• Cooking times and temperatures generated by AI are estimates. Always verify doneness with a thermometer rather than relying solely on stated times.
• AI systems may not be aware of rare or recently discovered food interactions. Always exercise your own judgment.

Our AI features are tools to assist and inspire — not a substitute for your own cooking knowledge, common sense, or professional dietary advice.

4. Liability Waiver

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law:

• SpoonLab, its owners, employees, and contributors disclaim all liability for any injury, illness, allergic reaction, death, or property damage resulting from the use of recipes, techniques, or information provided on this website.
• Recipes are provided "as is" without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of food safety, nutritional accuracy, or suitability for any particular dietary need.
• You assume full responsibility for verifying ingredient safety, cooking food to safe temperatures, and accommodating your own dietary requirements and allergies.
• We are not responsible for the content, safety, or quality of third-party products linked or recommended on this site (including Amazon affiliate links).

5. Contact

If you have questions about this disclaimer or wish to report a potential safety issue with a recipe, please contact us at:

Email: hello@spoonlab.app

By using SpoonLab, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agree to this disclaimer in full.