Asked in Copyright and Intellectual Property for New York

Q: Intellectual property question

Certain foods have its ingredients listed in a specific order. Based on that I created an algorithm that can calculate ingredients percentage in a formula (that may or may not be different from the manufacturer’s). Can I post my calculations on my website (of course I will mention that these are only my assumptions) and then rate products based on my algorithm? Won’t I be attacked by food companies for posting false information about their products or violating their trade secret or misleading consumers?

1 Lawyer Answer
Tania Maria Williams
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Answered
  • Intellectual Property Lawyer
  • West Palm Beach, FL

A: Reviews of a product have particular protections, but understand that some manufacturers are more litigious than others. If your algorithm is incorrect, and results in a misrepresentation of their product, they may try to pursue legal action.

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