FAQ
Changing Your Account Email Address
Currently, the Chomp API Client Center does not support changing your account email address directly through the user interface. Because your email address is fundamentally tied to your API key and billing history, updating it requires a manual ...
Monthly Active Users (MAU)
A Monthly Active User (MAU) applies exclusively to Premium subscriptions. An MAU is defined as a unique user on your platform who has accessed data from the Chomp API since the start of your current billing period. How MAU Billing Works Instead of ...
API Documentation Help
Get started with our API by heading over to the API Documentation. We recommend that you take some time to learn how our API works then browse our Knowledge Base articles if you're having trouble. If that doesn't help, then feel free to open a ...
Contacting Support
If an integration issue or billing question cannot be resolved using the Knowledge Base or API Documentation, direct assistance is available. Please open a support ticket and provide detailed information regarding the issue, including the associated ...
Missing Information & Data Imputation Policy
When an item in the database lacks a specific nutritional value (e.g., Vitamin C or Potassium), Chomp strictly prohibits data imputation. No Fill-In Policy The system does not attempt to estimate or fill in a food item's missing information using ...
Rate Limits & Requests Per Minute (RPM)
A rate limit defines the maximum number of API calls your application can make within a one-minute window. Rate limits are enforced to maintain platform stability and ensure equitable resources for all developers. If your application exceeds its ...
Caching and Data Storage Policy
The Chomp API maintains specific guidelines around data caching and storage to balance platform performance with data freshness and intellectual property protection. Caching for Performance To ensure optimal performance and reduce latency for ...
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 ...
Attribution Policy
Attribution is the practice of publicly acknowledging the Chomp API as the source of the nutritional data displayed within your application. By providing attribution, you help support the platform while remaining compliant with our licensing terms. ...
Trace Ingredients and Cross-Contamination
Trace ingredients are components that may or may not be present in a food item due to manufacturing processes. Manufacturers frequently place a warning label on products if there is a risk of cross-contamination with a known allergen, or if the ...
Allergen Tracking and Identification
The Chomp database tracks and indexes over 1,000 distinct allergen ingredients across multiple languages. Identifying Allergens Allergens are explicitly identified within the API response object when associated with a queried food item. For ...
Supported Diets and Compatibility Verification
The Chomp database actively supports compatibility verification for Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free diets. Compatibility Logic Every ingredient associated with a queried food item is algorithmically checked against internal dietary guidelines. If ...
Browser Requests and CORS Support
The Chomp API fully supports Cross-Origin Resource Sharing (CORS) and standard client-side browser requests, including AJAX and fetch API implementations. For specific implementation details and examples, please refer to the API Documentation.
Troubleshooting Barcode Matches
The Chomp database contains millions of branded food products indexed primarily by GTIN-12 (UPC-A) and GTIN-13 (EAN-13) barcode formats. If you are calling the /food/branded/barcode.php endpoint and receiving empty results or a 404, the issue is ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 Exceeded Rate Limits: (Limited and Standard Plans) You have exceeded your allowed Requests Per Minute ...
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 ...
Data Sources and Quality
The Chomp database aggregates food and nutrition data from multiple public and licensed sources to provide broad product and ingredient coverage. Primary Data Sources Public food databases, including the USDA FoodData Central database Open food and ...
New Food Item Additions
New food items are added to the Chomp database on a daily basis. Addition Strategy The primary driver for new item inclusion is user demand. The system actively tracks barcode and name searches across the API that result in a 404 Not Found response. ...
Data Update Frequency
The Chomp database undergoes continuous auditing and updates to maintain high accuracy and reflect manufacturer changes to nutrition labels. Update Schedule Branded Products: The internal system attempts to verify and update existing branded food ...
Managing Multiple Subscriptions
Adding an additional subscription to your account allows you to generate multiple, distinct API keys. This architecture is particularly useful for website development agencies or enterprise platforms that need to silo usage data and bill different ...
Upgrading or Downgrading Your Subscription
How to Change Your Plan Log into the Client Center. Click the Manage button, then select the Manage Subscription option. Scroll down and click the Make Changes button. You will be prompted to enter your email address and verify via a One-Time ...
Updating Payment Information
Payment methods and credit card details must be updated securely through the billing portal. Update Instructions Log into the Client Center. Click the Manage button, then the Manage Subscription button. Click Make Changes, and authenticate using the ...
Refund Policy
Refunds for Chomp API subscriptions are evaluated and handled on a case-by-case basis. As a general policy, Chomp will typically offer a prorated refund for the most recent month of access if an integration issue or billing error occurs. To formally ...
Canceling Your Subscription
You can cancel your Chomp API subscription at any time. Having trouble with barcode matches? Many developers choose to cancel due to initial difficulty formatting UPC/EAN barcodes correctly. Before canceling, please review the Barcode Troubleshooting ...
Troubleshooting Client Center Login
Accessing the Client Center requires specific credentials established during your initial subscription creation. Authentication Requirements To sign in successfully, you must provide: The exact email address used when creating your Chomp API ...
Locating Your API Key
API keys are generated automatically upon subscription creation. Initial Registration The API key is sent directly to the email address used during registration. If it is not in the primary inbox, please check the spam or promotional folders. Client ...
Logging Into the Client Center
The Client Center is the central hub for managing subscriptions, billing, and API keys. Authentication Requirements Access requires two credentials: The Email Address associated with the subscription. The API Key (which functions as the account ...
Free Trials & Free Access
The Chomp API is a premium, paid service. While Chomp does not offer a permanently free tier, there are structured ways to evaluate the API before committing to a full subscription. 5-Day Free Trial All new Standard and Premium subscriptions are ...