401 Unauthorized

401 Unauthorized

A 401 Unauthorized error indicates that the Chomp API has rejected your request due to authentication, billing, or rate limit issues.

Common Causes

  1. Exceeded Rate Limits: (Limited and Standard Plans) You have exceeded your allowed Requests Per Minute (RPM). The API will block further requests until the next minute window. It is recommended to implement exponential backoff retry logic.
  2. Missing User ID: (Premium Plans) You are making a request without the mandatory user_id parameter. Premium plans require this parameter for Monthly Active User (MAU) billing.
  3. Invalid API Key: Your api_key parameter is missing, incorrect, or has been revoked.

Troubleshooting Steps

  • Verify that your API key is correct and actively passing in the request URL.
  • If you are on a Premium plan, ensure a unique user_id is appended to every request. 
  • If you require unlimited RPM, consider upgrading to the Premium Plan.
  • For further assistance, please contact the Support Team.


    • Related Articles

    • 500 Internal Server Error

      A 500 Internal Server Error indicates that an unexpected condition was encountered on the Chomp API servers, preventing it from fulfilling the request. Common Causes Backend Timeout: The database took too long to resolve a highly complex search ...

    • Chomp API License Information

      This document outlines the Terms of Use ("Terms") governing your access to the Chomp API and the Chomp Database. By accessing the API, you consent to these Terms. Executive Summary & Operational Policies Commercial Use: Allowed on Standard and ...

    • 400 Bad Request

      A 400 Bad Request error indicates that your API request is malformed or contains invalid parameters. Common Causes Type Mismatches: Passing a string value where the API strictly expects an integer or boolean. Malformed Syntax: Invalid formatting in ...

    • 404 Not Found

      A 404 Not Found error indicates that the Chomp API successfully processed your request, but the requested resource or food item does not exist in our database. Common Causes Missing Barcode: The UPC or EAN barcode you queried has not yet been indexed ...

    • Monitoring API Usage

      API usage, including request volume and billing estimates, must be monitored via the Client Center. The Client Center provides a detailed breakdown of all active subscriptions associated with an account. Available metrics include: Total API requests ...