Trade secrets are covered by intellectual property law.
The cookie shop analogy fails the first bullet point below in that it is reasonably ascertainable by others (assuming it is a published cookbook and not some collection of index cards your grandma kept).
If it was the latter the question would then come down to if you made the proper efforts to keep it secret.
Most states have adopted some form of the Uniform Trade Secret Act (UTSA). The UTSA sought to provide some consistency in trade secret law that, until recently, was protected only by state laws. The Act defines a trade secret as:
"..information, including a formula, pattern,compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process that:
(a) Derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and
(b) Is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy."
When you have information that has economic value as a result of its secrecy and you use reasonable efforts to keep it secret, you have a trade secret. There is no registration of trade secrets.
There is now also federal protection of trade secrets under 18 USC 1832 that defines and protects trade secret use, copying and theft in similar fashion to the UTSA.
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Trade Secrets are covered by IP Law
Trade secrets are covered by intellectual property law.
The cookie shop analogy fails the first bullet point below in that it is reasonably ascertainable by others (assuming it is a published cookbook and not some collection of index cards your grandma kept).
If it was the latter the question would then come down to if you made the proper efforts to keep it secret.
Most states have adopted some form of the Uniform Trade Secret Act (UTSA). The UTSA sought to provide some consistency in trade secret law that, until recently, was protected only by state laws. The Act defines a trade secret as:
"..information, including a formula, pattern,compilation, program, device, method, technique, or process that:
(a) Derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by, other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and
(b) Is the subject of efforts that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy."
When you have information that has economic value as a result of its secrecy and you use reasonable efforts to keep it secret, you have a trade secret. There is no registration of trade secrets.
There is now also federal protection of trade secrets under 18 USC 1832 that defines and protects trade secret use, copying and theft in similar fashion to the UTSA.