Denver, CO asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for Colorado

Q: Can I make and market a food product from a published cookbook?

1 Lawyer Answer
Tristan Kenyon Schultz
Tristan Kenyon Schultz
Answered
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • Fort Collins, CO
  • Licensed in Colorado

A: Without directly reviewing the exact intended use and all surrounding situations, I cannot make a full assessment, but I can provide general guidance. Cookbooks are unusual copyright materials because large portions of the book are uncopyrightable. Specifically the list of ingredients and general instructions (note: literal copying of wording in the instructions is a copyright violation) are not copyrightable. The introductions and any other material is usually copyrightable. In short, cooking the item and potentially selling the item should not be a copyright violation, BUT listing the association of the item to a cookbook or author can be a trademark/trade name violation or general trade confusion issue. If you are unsure about your intended use contact a lawyer directly.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.