Chemistry, a key segment of the science of food production and processing, comprises a core section of the Journal of Food Science (JFS). Ubiquitous as they are, chemical reactions occurring in food systems are primary contributing factors to food product quality and influence the nutrition, health, and well-being of the consumer. For those like me who have been in the field for a while, we have witnessed significant cumulative advancements in food science over the past 3 decades. And I must say that the expansion of food chemistry represents one of the most notable parts of this progress. For example, as recently as 15 years ago, food chemistry studies were largely limited to the composition and changes of common food ingredients. However, knowledge gained through cross-disciplinary research – thanks to the availability of vastly improved analytical tools – has allowed the elucidation of health benefits of both traditional and nontraditional food chemical compounds previously unknown to scientists. In this context, one could appreciate the new dimension of food chemistry and its evolution in both scope and depth. Resulting from the emphasis of chemistry to explain biological processes in relation to human health, an array of new scientific journals have emerged in recent years to publish health-related food chemistry studies. At the same time, the focus of some traditional food science journals has shifted to “omics” emphasizing food chemistry. I remember back in the early 1980's, JFS was one of only 2 or 3 existing journals reporting food chemistry research. As the oldest and premier scientific journal in the field, JFS (incepted 1936) has enjoyed a worldwide reputation for disseminating high-quality technical papers for over three quarters of a century. It remains in the forefront of the scientific information exchange today. However, there are challenges ahead due to the ever-changing needs of the food industry and paradigm shift in research across various science disciplines in the world. Papers published in the Food Chemistry section of JFS are expected to be of scientific importance and industrial relevance. As stated in the Author Guidelines, papers submitted to the Food Chemistry section must be “basic and applied research on food constituents to understand their role in determining food quality, safety, nutrition, and health”. The constituents may include those that are naturally present (for example, macro- and micro-nutrients, fibers, and phytochemicals) or added (such as additives, preservatives, and functional ingredients) to the food. Manuscripts lacking focused research to address a specific hypothesis or mechanism, establish or improve an analytical method, or improve the current understanding of food chemistry, will be outside the aim and scope of the Food Chemistry section. Today, joining numerous traditional contributors, many new researchers from around the world choose JFS to publish their scientific discoveries. The Food Chemistry section alone receives nearly 600 manuscripts each year. While many of the papers submitted for review are outstanding, a very large number of other manuscripts are not well prepared. Incomplete experimental design, lack of novelty and originality, combined with poor writing, constitute a big percentage of those rejected. To improve the rate of acceptance, authors are strongly encouraged to carefully evaluate their studies to ascertain that the papers fit within the scope of the journal. As stated above, an acceptable paper must be one that addresses the fundamental mechanism involved in the chemical changes during food processing and storage and the impact of such chemical processes on the palatability of food and/or human health and nutrition. The choice of analytical methods appropriate for the specific testing is paramount. For example, a frequent mistake researchers make is to perform a chemical assay in a solvent system that is incompatible with the testing material (insoluble). Another example is resorting to simplified model tests without in situ validation. Papers with limited appeal to JFS readership are rarely considered. For English language issues, there are plenty of writing services available for use. The ultimate goal of the study must be clear – it should either help mitigate problems in food products, improve food quality, nutrition, and safety, or enhance process efficiency. As the Scientific Editor of the Food Chemistry section of JFS, I want to see investigator's efforts in the lab turned into high-impact publications. Every manuscript received will be given a due consideration and be processed professionally, fairly, and in a timely manner. Charles Darwin once said, “A naturalist's life would be a happy one if he had only to observe and never to write.” Would that be your wish? Or would it not?
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Jun 1, 2024
Christian Orgeldinger + 2
Open Access
