diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/favorites/recipes/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/favorites/recipes/+server.ts
index 0c968b1..e17c220 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/favorites/recipes/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/favorites/recipes/+server.ts
@@ -23,10 +23,10 @@ export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({ locals }) => {
       return json([]);
     }
 
-    // Get recipes that are favorited AND have English translations
+    // Get recipes that are favorited AND have approved English translations
     let recipes = await Recipe.find({
       _id: { $in: userFavorites.favorites },
-      'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+      'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
     }).lean();
 
     // Transform to English format
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/all_brief/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/all_brief/+server.ts
index f61089a..799cf16 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/all_brief/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/all_brief/+server.ts
@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ import { rand_array } from '$lib/js/randomize';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
 	await dbConnect();
 
-	// Find all recipes that have English translations
+	// Find all recipes that have approved English translations
 	const recipes = await Recipe.find(
-		{ 'translations.en': { $exists: true } },
+		{ 'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved' },
 		'_id translations.en short_name season dateModified icon'
 	).lean();
 
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/+server.ts
index 8e235b0..2d3059a 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/+server.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import { dbConnect } from '../../../../../utils/db';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
   await dbConnect();
 
-  // Get distinct categories from English translations
+  // Get distinct categories from approved English translations
   const categories = await Recipe.distinct('translations.en.category', {
-    'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+    'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
   }).lean();
 
   return json(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(categories)));
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/[category]/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/[category]/+server.ts
index 1183ad5..db363cf 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/[category]/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/category/[category]/+server.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ import { rand_array } from '$lib/js/randomize';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
 	await dbConnect();
 
-	// Find recipes in this category that have English translations
+	// Find recipes in this category that have approved English translations
 	const recipes = await Recipe.find(
 		{
 			'translations.en.category': params.category,
-			'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+			'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
 		},
 		'_id translations.en short_name images season dateModified icon'
 	).lean();
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/icon/[icon]/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/icon/[icon]/+server.ts
index 4bd64ab..46e49e5 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/icon/[icon]/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/icon/[icon]/+server.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ import { rand_array } from '$lib/js/randomize';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
 	await dbConnect();
 
-	// Find recipes with this icon that have English translations
+	// Find recipes with this icon that have approved English translations
 	const recipes = await Recipe.find(
 		{
 			icon: params.icon,
-			'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+			'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
 		},
 		'_id translations.en short_name images season dateModified icon'
 	).lean();
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/in_season/[month]/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/in_season/[month]/+server.ts
index feacbcd..68ccaff 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/in_season/[month]/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/in_season/[month]/+server.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,12 @@ import { rand_array } from '$lib/js/randomize';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
 	await dbConnect();
 
-	// Find recipes in season that have English translations
+	// Find recipes in season that have approved English translations
 	const recipes = await Recipe.find(
 		{
 			season: params.month,
 			icon: {$ne: "🍽️"},
-			'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+			'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
 		},
 		'_id translations.en short_name images season dateModified icon'
 	).lean();
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/+server.ts
index f4a2c60..c85026a 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/+server.ts
@@ -5,9 +5,9 @@ import { dbConnect } from '../../../../../utils/db';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
   await dbConnect();
 
-  // Get all recipes with English translations
+  // Get all recipes with approved English translations
   const recipes = await Recipe.find({
-    'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+    'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
   }, 'translations.en.tags').lean();
 
   // Extract and flatten all unique tags
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/[tag]/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/[tag]/+server.ts
index 0f8a995..ad6a5f2 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/[tag]/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/items/tag/[tag]/+server.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ import { rand_array } from '$lib/js/randomize';
 export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({params}) => {
 	await dbConnect();
 
-	// Find recipes with this tag that have English translations
+	// Find recipes with this tag that have approved English translations
 	const recipes = await Recipe.find(
 		{
 			'translations.en.tags': params.tag,
-			'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+			'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
 		},
 		'_id translations.en short_name images season dateModified icon'
 	).lean();
diff --git a/src/routes/api/recipes/search/+server.ts b/src/routes/api/recipes/search/+server.ts
index dac88f8..c602d77 100644
--- a/src/routes/api/recipes/search/+server.ts
+++ b/src/routes/api/recipes/search/+server.ts
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ export const GET: RequestHandler = async ({ url, locals }) => {
   const favoritesOnly = url.searchParams.get('favorites') === 'true';
 
   try {
-    // Build base query - only recipes with English translations
+    // Build base query - only recipes with approved English translations
     let dbQuery: any = {
-      'translations.en': { $exists: true }
+      'translations.en.translationStatus': 'approved'
     };
 
     // Apply filters based on context