Last updated: July 9, 2026
These Terms of Use (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of the Food Poisoning News website at foodpoisoningnews.com, together with its content, features, and services (the “Site”). The Site is published by Food Poisoning News (“we,” “us,” or “our”). Please read these Terms carefully before using the Site.
Acceptance of these Terms
By accessing, browsing, or using the Site (or by submitting a comment or other content), you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and by our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
The Site is intended for a general audience in the United States and is not directed to children under 13. If you are under 13, please do not use the Site or submit any comments or personal information.
What Food Poisoning News is, and what it is not
Food Poisoning News is a news publication. We report on food recalls, foodborne-illness outbreaks, food-safety science, and related litigation. Our articles are journalism and general information. Information about who publishes the Site and how it is funded is described on our Ownership & Funding page.
Our content is not medical advice. Nothing on the Site is a substitute for professional medical care, and reading it does not create a physician–patient relationship. If you may have a medical emergency, call 911 immediately. Please read our Medical Disclaimer.
Our content is not legal advice. Reading the Site, contacting us, or submitting a form does not create an attorney–client relationship. For litigation-related topics, please read our Legal Disclaimer & Attorney Advertising Notice.
Our content and how you may use it
Except for content submitted by users, all material on the Site (including articles, headlines, photographs, illustrations, graphics, video, page design, and the Food Poisoning News name and logo) is owned by us or our licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other laws. Some images are licensed from third parties or news agencies and may carry additional restrictions.
What you may do
You are welcome to link to our articles. You may quote a short, attributed excerpt for the purpose of news reporting, commentary, criticism, teaching, or research, provided you credit Food Poisoning News and link to the original article.
What you may not do
- Republish or post an entire article, or a substantial portion of one, on another website, app, newsletter, or platform
- Copy, scrape, harvest, or systematically collect our content by automated or manual means
- Sell, license, or commercially redistribute our content
- Remove or alter bylines, credits, copyright notices, or source attributions
- Use our name, logo, or trademarks in a way that suggests an affiliation or endorsement we have not given
- Frame, mirror, or present our content in a way that misrepresents its source.
If you would like to reuse our content beyond what is permitted above, please ask first through our contact page.
Comments and content you submit
The Site allows readers to post comments and may allow other submissions (together, “User Content”). You are solely responsible for anything you post, and you represent that you own or have the right to submit it and that it does not violate these Terms or any law.
The license you give us
You keep whatever rights you already have in your User Content. By posting it, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, and sublicensable license to host, store, reproduce, display, publish, adapt for formatting, and distribute that content in connection with the Site and its ordinary promotion. This license lets us operate and display the Site. It does not transfer ownership of your content to us.
Conduct that is not allowed
When you post User Content, you agree not to submit anything that:
- is false, defamatory, harassing, threatening, abusive, hateful, or invasive of another person’s privacy
- is obscene or otherwise inappropriate for a general audience
- infringes anyone’s copyright, trademark, or other rights
- is spam, advertising, or promotional solicitation
- impersonates any person or misrepresents your affiliation
- contains malware or attempts to disrupt, overload, or gain unauthorized access to the Site
- is otherwise unlawful or encourages unlawful acts.
Moderation and removal
We may (but are not obligated to) review, moderate, edit, or remove any User Content at any time, for any reason, without notice. We do not routinely monitor comments and do not guarantee that objectionable content will be found or removed. We are not responsible for User Content, and comments reflect the views of the people who post them, not those of Food Poisoning News. If you see a comment that violates these Terms, please tell us through our contact page.
How we handle the personal information associated with comments (such as your name, email address, and IP address) is described in our Privacy Policy.
Third-party links and content
Our articles link to outside sources such as government agencies (for example, the FDA, USDA/FSIS, and CDC), studies, and other news organizations. We provide these links for reference. We do not control third-party sites and are not responsible for their content, accuracy, or practices, and a link is not an endorsement. Your use of any third-party site is governed by that site’s own terms and policies.
Copyright complaints (DMCA)
We respect the intellectual-property rights of others and ask that you do the same. If you believe content on the Site infringes a copyright you own or control, you may send us a written notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Send it to our designated copyright contact through our contact page, addressed to “Copyright Agent.”
To be effective under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3), your notice must include substantially all of the following:
- your physical or electronic signature, as the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed or a person authorized to act on the owner’s behalf
- identification of the copyrighted work you claim has been infringed (or a representative list, if several works are involved)
- identification of the material you claim is infringing, with information reasonably sufficient for us to locate it (such as the article URL)
- your contact information, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an email address
- a statement that you have a good-faith belief that the use is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law
- a statement that the information in your notice is accurate, and, under penalty of perjury, that you are authorized to act on behalf of the owner of the exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
Please note that under 17 U.S.C. § 512(f), anyone who knowingly and materially misrepresents that material is infringing may be liable for damages, including costs and attorneys’ fees. We will respond to valid notices as provided by law, which may include removing or disabling access to the material identified, and we may remove content from users who repeatedly infringe.
Disclaimer of warranties
The Site and its content are provided “as is” and “as available,” without warranties of any kind, whether express or implied. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all warranties, including the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
Food safety changes quickly. Recall and outbreak information can be updated or superseded, and our content may become out of date. We do not warrant that the Site will be accurate, complete, current, secure, or uninterrupted. Always confirm current recall and outbreak status with the FDA, USDA/FSIS, and CDC, and see our Medical Disclaimer for health-related guidance.
Limitation of liability
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Food Poisoning News and its contributors, editors, and affiliates will not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or for any loss arising out of your use of, or inability to use, the Site or its content, even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages. Your use of the Site is at your own risk.
Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence.
Indemnification
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless Food Poisoning News and its contributors, editors, and affiliates from any claims, losses, liabilities, and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of your use of the Site, your User Content, or your violation of these Terms, of any law, or of the rights of a third party.
Governing law and venue
These Terms are governed by the laws of the State of Texas, without regard to its conflict-of-laws rules. You agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Site will be brought exclusively in the state or federal courts located in Harris County, Texas (Houston), and you consent to the personal jurisdiction of those courts. This is consistent with our Legal Disclaimer & Attorney Advertising Notice.
Severability
If any part of these Terms is found to be unenforceable, that part will be limited or removed to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining Terms will stay in full force and effect.
Changes to these Terms
We may update these Terms from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. Changes take effect when posted, and your continued use of the Site after that means you accept the updated Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.
Contact us
Questions about these Terms? Reach us through our contact page.
Last updated: July 9, 2026