Reviewer' Guidelines
Reviewer Guidelines – Journal of Food and Nutrition Science (JFNS)
The Journal of Food and Nutrition Science (JFNS) relies on the expertise and dedication of peer reviewers to maintain the journal’s scientific quality, credibility, and relevance. Your constructive, fair, and timely evaluations are fundamental to our mission of advancing research in food science, human nutrition, public health, and related disciplines.
Role of the Reviewer
As a reviewer, your feedback supports authors in improving their work and helps editors make informed decisions. Manuscripts are assessed based on:
- Originality and novelty
- Methodological rigor
- Scientific significance and relevance to food and nutrition science
- Ethical compliance and transparency
- Clarity of presentation
Initial Editorial Assessment
All submitted manuscripts undergo an initial review by the editorial office. Those outside the journal’s scope or lacking scientific merit may be declined without external review. Manuscripts not following JFNS formatting guidelines may be returned to authors for revision prior to further consideration.
Submissions passing the initial screening are assigned to an editor and sent to 2–4 independent experts for detailed peer review. Authors are notified when the manuscript enters peer review and provided with a tracking number. The review process typically takes 2–3 weeks.
Reviewer Conduct and Confidentiality
We ask reviewers to:
- Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all submitted materials
- Avoid sharing, discussing, or using manuscript content for personal benefit
- Disclose any conflict of interest (financial, institutional, personal, or professional)
- Decline the invitation if objectivity or impartiality could be compromised
All reviews should be courteous, evidence-based, and focused on helping the authors improve the quality and clarity of their work.
Ethical Considerations
JFNS upholds the ethical guidelines of the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Reviewers are encouraged to alert the editorial office if they identify concerns such as:
- Plagiarism or duplicate publication
- Manipulated or questionable data
- Unethical research practices involving human or animal subjects
- Authorship or citation issues
What to Include in Your Review
A thorough review typically includes:
- A brief, neutral summary of the manuscript
- Major comments (e.g., study design, data interpretation, scientific gaps)
- Minor comments (e.g., language, formatting, referencing)
- A clear recommendation: Accept, Minor Revision, Major Revision, or Reject
Please frame your comments in a respectful and constructive manner. Avoid personal remarks or unsubstantiated criticism.
Timeliness and Communication
Timely reviews are essential to our workflow. We ask reviewers to submit their feedback within 2–3 weeks of accepting the review invitation. If more time is needed, please inform the editorial office as soon as possible so we can make necessary arrangements.
Impartial Handling of Submissions
Submissions involving editors or their close associates are handled by an independent editor to preserve impartiality. Editors do not participate in decisions on manuscripts where a conflict of interest exists.
Recognition and Support
We deeply value the time and expertise reviewers contribute. Upon request, JFNS provides:
- Certificates of Review
- Annual Acknowledgment (with the reviewer’s consent)
For questions or assistance, please contact the editorial team at:
editor.jfns@acadwise.com