Can recipes be copyrighted? What if people change the quantities or the order of "mixing"?

Answer 1

You cannot copyright a recipe. You can PATENT one though (the formula for COKE is patented.) Copyrights are for the arts; music, movies, books, etc.

That said, others can come along and change your recipe and claim it to be an improvement and get their own patent on that new recipe. You can keep one vital/special ingredient secret from the patent application to protect your recipe (just like KFC does for their chicken.)

Answer 2

Some authentic recipes are copyrighted. These recipes are based on very unique and distinguishable qualities, and produce the kind of food that is not generally known how to prepare. For example, some upscale restaurants copyright some of their recipes, and the employees sign the formal agreement with the owners that they will not disclose the details of these recipes to the public. The recipe of Coca-Cola is copyrighted. The "Three Little Piglets" restaurant in France copyrighted their recipe for the French Onion soup.

Answer 3

Yes you can under intellectual property law. And if you obviously just modify it slightly, then you can still be prosecuted.

It's like this - the news cannot be copyrighted, but the reporting of it can be. It's called plagiarism. Same deal with recipes. Course, how similar one recipe is to another is matter of opinion and will be decided in court. But if it's recognisable as the same thing, you wouldn't have a leg to stand on.

Then again, there aren't many people who sue over recipes unless you're making money from it.

Answer 4

I have never heard of a reicpe being copyright, but who knows these days.

sometimes the order of mixing is VERY important (you don't add the raw egg before you mix in the hot ingredients - unless you like scrambled eggs), and quantities - well, I use them more for a suggestion sometimes unless I am cooking something for the first time, I adjust every recipe to suit my tastes.

if a recipe was ever copyright, then I think 99% of the people in the world are in violation.

Answer 5

I think the general understanding is that recipes cannot be copyrighted, but that collections of them CAN be -- in other words, it is the act of gathering and testing the recipes that is protected, not the creation of them in the first place.

Answer 6

The only way of protecting a recipe is keeping it a secret. Some people resort to other methods. The Hatfields and McCoys used to kill each other to protect their moonshine recipes.

Answer 7

hi
i think that basically every recipe comes from a food group and must have been copied or past down in someway. But if you have something original.. then make sure you get it copyrighted so you dont see it popping up anywhere xxxx Hope this helps xx

Answer 8

I thought that recipe's were a rough guide. I hate white flour and would prefer to use brown. I don't seem to have any raisins, I'll use sultanas... etc. Is it now illegal to make bread (Flour, Yeast, Water, Sugar & Salt) 'cos you don't have the correct ingredients? Naming these ingredients; have I just broken copyright law???

Answer 9

Then the copyright offers zero protection.

Answer 10

You cannot copyright any food or drink