Editorial & Corrections Policy

What we publish

PlainSubstitute is an independent culinary-reference site. We publish cooking-ingredient substitutions: for each ingredient, the documented alternatives, the ratio to use, the recipe contexts each works in, dietary tags, and a one-to-five quality score for how closely the substitute reproduces the original.

Where the data comes from

Our substitution ratios and quality scores are compiled from established culinary references, food-science literature on ingredient functionality, and documented professional kitchen practice. We do not derive our data from government datasets, and we do not scrape or machine-generate it. Where culinary references disagree on a ratio, we publish the one with the strongest backing and note the alternative. Numbers shown on data pages — substitute counts, category totals, dietary-coverage percentages, rankings — are computed live from our database at page load, so the figures and the underlying records always agree.

How quality scores work

The one-to-five quality score reflects how closely a substitute reproduces the original in its recommended context. A five means the result is virtually indistinguishable; a three works but noticeably changes the dish; a one is a last resort. Because a swap can be excellent in baking and only adequate in a sauce, the score always travels with a context, and the notes on each substitute explain the trade-offs.

Appropriate use

This site is a cooking reference, not dietary or medical advice. Dietary tags indicate that a substitute can fit a diet, not that any specific product is safe for a given allergy — manufacturing cross-contamination is real, so anyone cooking for a serious allergy must verify the product label every time. When in doubt, leave it out.

Corrections

We want the data to be right. If you spot a ratio, score, or fact that looks wrong, tell us through the contact page with the page URL, the value you think is incorrect, and the culinary or food-science source you believe is correct. We review every report against our reference material, correct genuine errors, and will also clarify wording where a swap was presented with more certainty than its real-world reliability warrants. We do not accept paid placement or sponsored listings that would affect how ingredients or substitutions appear.

Who is responsible

PlainSubstitute is published by PlainSubstitute Editorial, part of Kiznis Studio. Questions, corrections, and source-attribution issues can be sent to hello@plainsubstitute.com. Our methodology page documents how ratios and scores are derived in more detail.