Privacy Policy – Meal Genie

📋 1. Information We Collect

Meal Genie collects and stores the following information locally on your device only:

API Keys

OpenAI API key (for recipe generation and DALL-E image generation)
Anthropic Claude API key (optional alternative AI provider)
Google Gemini API key (optional alternative AI provider)
Groq API key (optional alternative AI provider)

All keys are stored in Chrome's encrypted chrome.storage.local. Innov8Edge never sees, receives, or stores your API keys.

Recipe History

Ingredients you entered, recipes generated, and the date they were created
Stored locally in chrome.storage.local, capped automatically to prevent excessive storage use

Generated Images

AI-generated food images (via DALL-E 3) are cached locally in your browser's IndexedDB (MealGenieImages database)
Images are pruned automatically when no longer associated with a current recipe
No images are uploaded to or stored on Innov8Edge servers

Usage & Preferences

Active AI provider selection and failover preferences
Free generation count (for free-tier usage limits)
Subscription status verified via BrowserBill

We do not collect your name, email address, location, browsing history, dietary health data, or any information beyond what is listed above.

⚙️ 2. How We Use Your Information

Recipe Generation: Your ingredients and preferences are assembled into a prompt and sent to your chosen AI provider to generate recipes
Image Generation: If you have an OpenAI key saved, recipe titles are used to generate food photography via DALL-E 3
Image Fallback: When AI image generation is unavailable, Meal Genie fetches relevant food photos from Unsplash or Pexels using the recipe title as a search term
Discover Tab: Your local recipe history is displayed back to you within the extension — it never leaves your device
Provider Failover: If your active AI provider fails, Meal Genie can automatically switch to another saved provider to ensure uninterrupted recipe generation
Subscription Verification: BrowserBill is used to verify whether you are on the free or premium tier

🔗 3. Third-Party Services

Meal Genie may communicate with the following external services. Data only leaves your device when you actively trigger recipe or image generation.

OpenAI Recipe generation (GPT) and food image generation (DALL-E 3)

Anthropic Recipe generation via Claude models (optional)

Google Gemini Recipe generation via Gemini models (optional)

Groq Fast recipe generation via Groq API (optional)

Unsplash Free food photo fallback when AI image generation is off

Pexels Free food photo fallback (secondary)

BrowserBill Subscription status verification

Supabase Encrypted image persistence and usage tracking (optional)

Privacy Policies for Third-Party Services

OpenAI: openai.com/policies/privacy-policy
Anthropic: anthropic.com/privacy
Google: policies.google.com/privacy
Groq: groq.com/privacy-policy
Unsplash: unsplash.com/privacy
Pexels: pexels.com/privacy-policy
BrowserBill: browserbill.com
Supabase: supabase.com/privacy

Important: Only the AI provider you have configured and actively use receives any data from Meal Genie. Unused providers receive nothing.

💾 4. Data Storage

Local Storage Only

All user data is stored on your device using two browser-native mechanisms:

chrome.storage.local — API keys, preferences, recipe history, and usage counts
IndexedDB (MealGenieImages) — Cached food images generated by DALL-E or fetched from Unsplash/Pexels

No Cloud Sync

Meal Genie does not operate its own servers and does not back up your data to any cloud service. Your recipes, images, and keys exist only on the device where the extension is installed.

Automatic Pruning

Recipe history is capped automatically — older entries are removed when the limit is reached. Cached images are pruned whenever they are no longer associated with a current recipe session, keeping your local storage lean.

Clearing Your Data

You can delete all locally stored data at any time via the extension's settings panel. Removing the extension from Chrome also clears all associated storage automatically.

🤖 5. AI-Generated Content

⚠️ AI-Generated Recipe Notice

Recipes are generated by AI (OpenAI GPT, Anthropic Claude, Google Gemini, or Groq) and may contain inaccuracies, incorrect cooking times, or unsuitable ingredient combinations
Always verify that recipes are safe for your dietary needs, allergies, and health conditions
AI output does not constitute nutritional, medical, or dietary advice
Food images are AI-generated or sourced from stock photo services — they may not exactly represent the finished dish
Innov8Edge is not responsible for outcomes resulting from following AI-generated recipes

🚫 6. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with any third parties.

Data is transmitted externally only in these specific cases:

Your chosen AI provider's API — when you click Generate to create recipes
OpenAI DALL-E 3 — when AI image generation is enabled and you have an OpenAI key
Unsplash or Pexels — a recipe title search query when fetching free fallback food photos
BrowserBill — to verify your subscription status
Supabase — to persist generated images and manage secure usage tracking if enabled

No analytics platforms, advertising networks, data brokers, or Innov8Edge servers receive any information from this extension.

🍸 7. Mixology & Mode Isolation

Meal Genie Pro features a "Mixology Mode" designed to separate culinary and beverage data. To ensure the best user experience, we implement strict Mode Isolation:

Data Silos: Recipes, grocery lists, and pantry staples in Food mode are stored separately from those in Mixology mode. Switching modes "swaps" the active database context.
Cross-Contamination: Your drink ingredients will never appear in your food grocery list, and vice-versa, unless specifically moved by you.
AI Context: We provide specific prompts to the AI based on your active mode to ensure accuracy for the specific task (Cooking vs. Bartending).

✅ 8. Your Rights

View All stored recipes and history are visible in the Discover tab

Edit Update or change your API keys and provider preferences at any time

Delete Clear all data via the extension settings panel

Remove Keys Clear any individual API key using the key management panel

🔒 9. Data Security

HTTPS encryption for all communications with AI providers, image services, and BrowserBill
Local-first architecture — your data stays on your device by default
API keys stored in Chrome's encrypted chrome.storage.local
No server-side processing, logging, or analytics by Innov8Edge
IndexedDB image cache is sandboxed to the extension's origin and inaccessible to websites or other extensions

🛡️ 10. Permissions Explained

Meal Genie Pro requires specific Chrome permissions to function correctly. We adhere to the principle of Least Privilege:

Permission	Purpose
`storage` / `unlimitedStorage`	To save your API keys, recipe history, and generated images locally on your device.
`sidePanel`	To display the Meal Genie interface alongside your favorite recipe websites.
`scripting` / `activeTab`	Used exclusively to "Read" ingredients from the website you are currently viewing.
`host permissions`	Allows the extension to talk to AI Providers (OpenAI, Anthropic, etc.) and fetch images.

👶 11. Children's Privacy

Meal Genie is intended for general audiences aged 13 and over. It is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under the age of 13.

📝 12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in functionality or legal requirements. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will be revised accordingly. Continued use of the extension after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

✉️ 13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact:

Company: Innov8Edge
Email: [email protected]