Editorial Policy
How we create, review, and maintain content on CleanKitchens.org
Our Core Editorial Principles
- Accuracy: All data is sourced directly from official government health inspections.
- Transparency: We clearly label and attribute all content sources.
- Clarity: We present technical information in plain, accessible language.
- Independence: Our content is never influenced by paid placements or partnerships.
Health Inspection Data Policy
The core of our site—restaurant health inspection data—adheres to the following standards:
- Direct Sourcing: All inspection data comes directly from official government health departments.
- Unaltered Reporting: We present inspection results exactly as reported by the health authorities without editorial modification.
- Clear Attribution: Each restaurant listing clearly indicates the specific health department source and inspection date.
- Consistent Terminology: When presenting data from different jurisdictions, we standardize terminology for clarity while preserving the original meaning.
- Context Preservation: We include context such as inspection type (routine, follow-up, complaint-based) when available from the source data.
Types of Content on CleanKitchens.org
Our site contains several types of content, each with specific editorial standards:
Inspection Data Presentations
What it is: Restaurant listings, inspection scores, violation details
Our approach: Directly sourced from health departments, presented without editorial modification or opinion. Generated dynamically from our database.
Educational Content
What it is: Articles explaining food safety concepts, health code requirements, etc.
Our approach: Written by qualified professionals with relevant expertise, fact-checked against authoritative sources, clearly attributed to specific authors.
Blog Content
What it is: Opinion pieces, analysis, food safety trends
Our approach: Clearly labeled as opinion/analysis, with author credentials displayed prominently. These pieces represent the author's professional perspective and are distinct from our data-driven content.
Automatically Generated Content
What it is: Summaries of inspection results, trend analyses
Our approach: Generated using data processing tools (not artificial intelligence), based exclusively on official inspection data, clearly labeled as automatically generated with a direct connection to the underlying data source.
Authorship and Review Process
Author Qualifications
All educational and analytical content on CleanKitchens.org is written by professionals with relevant expertise in food safety, public health, or related fields. Author credentials are clearly displayed alongside their content.
Fact-Checking Process
All educational content undergoes a two-stage review process: first by a subject matter expert, then by an editorial reviewer focusing on clarity and accessibility. Claims are verified against authoritative sources including government health agencies, academic research, and established industry standards.
Update Policy
Educational content is reviewed at least annually to ensure continued accuracy. When content is updated, we clearly indicate the original publication date and most recent revision date.
Advertising and Sponsorship Policy
To maintain editorial independence:
- We clearly distinguish between editorial content and advertising.
- Advertisements are labeled as such.
- We do not accept payment to modify inspection data presentation or rankings.
- Sponsored content, if any, is clearly labeled and undergoes the same fact-checking process as our editorial content.
- We do not accept advertising from restaurants seeking to influence how their inspection data is presented.
Medical and Legal Information Disclaimer
While CleanKitchens.org provides information related to public health:
- We do not provide medical advice. Content should not be interpreted as a substitute for professional medical consultation.
- We do not provide legal advice regarding food safety regulations or compliance.
- Restaurant operators should consult qualified professionals for guidance on health code compliance.
Corrections Policy
We are committed to correcting errors promptly:
- Factual errors are corrected as soon as possible after verification.
- Corrections are noted clearly at the beginning of the article.
- For significant errors, we may publish a separate correction notice.
- We maintain an archive of significant corrections.
To report an error or request a correction, please contact us.