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Privacy & Safety Statement
Last updated: June 25, 2026
1. Privacy Policy
1.1 Data We Collect
- Profile data: Name, age, health conditions, allergies, food preferences — provided voluntarily when creating a care recipient profile.
- Meal plan data: Generated meal plans, shopping lists, and safety reviews — computed locally or on our servers based on your profile.
- AI conversation data: Questions and messages you send to the AI Assistant.
- Account data: Email address and hashed password when you register an account.
- Usage data: Anonymous page views and feature usage for service improvement.
1.2 Data We Do NOT Collect
- Full legal names (display names are optional and may be pseudonyms)
- Social Security numbers, driver's license, or government IDs
- Financial information, credit card numbers, or billing details
- Precise location data (GPS)
- Protected Health Information (PHI) under HIPAA — NutriHearth is a nutrition support tool, not a covered entity
1.3 How We Use Your Data
- Generate personalized meal plans based on health conditions and preferences
- Perform safety checks for food allergies, drug-food interactions, and dietary restrictions
- Monitor service performance and safety; data is not used for AI model training
- Improve nutritional recommendation accuracy through aggregate pattern analysis
- Send service-related notifications (if opted in)
1.4 Data Storage & Security
- Profile and account data are stored in an encrypted SQLite database
- Passwords are hashed with SHA-256 and salted — no plaintext storage
- AI conversations are not permanently stored on our servers
- We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties
- No advertising or tracking cookies are used
1.5 Your Rights
- Access: View all your stored profile data at any time
- Export: Download your meal plans, profiles, and data as JSON/TXT files
- Delete: Remove your account and all associated data upon request
- Opt-out: Use NutriHearth without registration (guest mode)
2. Safety Framework
⚠️ Important: NutriHearth is a nutrition support tool. It does not replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes.
2.1 AI Safety Boundaries
The NutriHearth AI Assistant is restricted by a safety sandbox. It can ONLY discuss:
- Nutrition science and dietary guidelines
- Disease-specific dietary recommendations (ADA, AHA, NIH, ESPEN)
- Drug-food interaction awareness (e.g., grapefruit + statins)
- Meal planning and recipe guidance
- Food safety and preparation techniques
- Public health and wellness information
The AI will refuse to answer questions about: medical diagnosis, drug dosage, treatment plans, surgical advice, or any topic outside nutrition and caregiving.
2.2 Meal Plan Safety Checks
Every generated meal plan undergoes automated safety verification:
| Check | Description | Severity |
|---|
| Allergen screening | Blocks and removes recipes containing user-specified allergens (shellfish, nuts, dairy, etc.) | Critical |
| Drug-food interaction | Cross-references medication list against ingredients (warfarin→vitamin K, statins→grapefruit) | Critical |
| Sodium limit | Ensures daily sodium ≤ clinical guideline (e.g., <1500mg for hypertension) | High |
| Sugar/carb limit | Checks carbohydrate load against diabetes guidelines | High |
| Texture safety | Verifies food texture matches dysphagia/swallowing needs (Normal/Soft/Minced/Puree) | High |
| Protein adequacy | Checks daily protein ≥ clinical target (e.g., 1.2-1.5g/kg for sarcopenia) | Medium |
| Micronutrient balance | Verifies calcium, vitamin D, B12, omega-3 meet evidence-based targets | Medium |
2.3 Clinical Evidence Base
NutriHearth's nutrition rules are sourced from:
- American Diabetes Association (ADA) — Standards of Care
- American Heart Association (AHA) — DASH Diet Guidelines
- National Institutes of Health (NIH) — Dietary Reference Intakes
- European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN)
- Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative (KDOQI)
- MIND Diet research (Morris et al., 2015, Alzheimer's & Dementia)
- 88 PubMed-indexed peer-reviewed references for 22 disease conditions
2.4 Known Limitations
- Nutrient calculations are estimates based on standardized food composition data (USDA FoodData Central)
- Actual nutrient content varies by ingredient source, cooking method, and portion size
- Drug-food interaction checks are informational, not clinical — always verify with your pharmacist
- AI-generated guidance is based on published literature through June 2026
- NutriHearth does not access electronic health records (EHR) or pharmacy data
3. Contact & Feedback
For privacy concerns, data deletion requests, safety questions, or feedback:
📧 Email: support@nutrihearth.com
💬 Use the in-app AI Assistant and mention "privacy" or "safety"
We respond within 2 business days.
4. Regulatory Compliance
- Section 508 / WCAG 2.1 AA: We strive to meet accessibility standards for users with disabilities. Please report accessibility issues.
- GDPR: EU users may request data export or deletion under GDPR Article 17.
- CCPA: California residents may opt out of data sharing under CCPA (though NutriHearth does not sell data).
- HIPAA: NutriHearth is not a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA. No PHI is collected.
NutriHearth — Nutrition support for family caregivers. Because those who once held our hand — now deserve ours.