Editorial Policies
Ensuring integrity, transparency, and excellence in nutrition research publishing
Committed to Ethical Publishing Standards
IJN adheres to COPE guidelines and international best practices
Single-Blind Peer Review
Process: All nutrition research manuscripts undergo rigorous single-blind peer review by at least two independent experts in the relevant field. A double-blind review option is available when authors request additional anonymity.
- Author identities are visible to reviewers; reviewers remain anonymous to authors
- Double-blind review can be arranged upon request during submission
- Average review time: 4–6 weeks
- Constructive feedback provided to authors
- Editorial decision based on scientific merit
Authorship Criteria
All listed authors must meet ICMJE authorship criteria:
- Substantial contributions to conception, design, data acquisition, or analysis
- Drafting or critical revision of intellectual content
- Final approval of the version to be published
- Agreement to be accountable for all aspects of the work
Contributors who don't meet all criteria should be acknowledged, not listed as authors.
Plagiarism & Originality
All manuscripts are screened using iThenticate plagiarism detection software.
- Acceptable similarity: <30% (excluding references/methods)
- >30% similarity: Manuscript returned for revision
- Self-plagiarism: Authors must substantially rewrite previously published content
- Text recycling: Methods sections may reuse prior descriptions with citation
Conflicts of Interest
All authors, editors, and reviewers must disclose potential conflicts:
- Financial relationships with food/supplement companies
- Industry consultancies or advisory board positions
- Research funding from commercial entities
- Patents or intellectual property related to the research
- Personal relationships that could influence objectivity
Disclosure does not disqualify: Conflicts are managed transparently, not automatically prohibitive.
Human Subjects Research
Nutrition studies involving human participants must:
- Obtain IRB/Ethics Committee approval before study initiation
- Include approval number and committee name in manuscript
- Document informed consent procedures
- Comply with Declaration of Helsinki principles
- Register clinical trials prospectively (ClinicalTrials.gov, WHO ICTRP)
- Protect participant privacy and data confidentiality
Animal Research
Animal nutrition studies must:
- Obtain IACUC approval
- Follow ARRIVE guidelines for reporting
- Justify animal use and minimize suffering
- Describe housing, husbandry, and humane endpoints
Data Availability
IJN strongly encourages (and for some article types, requires) public data sharing:
- Raw nutrition data should be deposited in public repositories
- Data availability statements must describe access procedures
- Code and analysis scripts should be shared when feasible
- Exemptions granted only for privacy/ethical concerns
Materials & Methods Transparency
Manuscripts must provide sufficient detail to enable replication:
- Dietary assessment methods fully described
- Food composition databases specified
- Statistical analyses comprehensively reported
- Biomarker assay protocols detailed
Corrections & Updates
Minor errors: Corrected via published Correction notice linked to original article
Significant errors: May warrant Expression of Concern or Retraction
All corrections are publicly documented and permanently linked to original articles.
Retractions
Articles may be retracted if:
- Research misconduct is confirmed (fabrication, falsification, plagiarism)
- Ethical violations are discovered
- Findings are unreliable and cannot be reproduced
- Copyright infringement or duplicate publication is identified
Retraction notices state reasons and are permanently published with the original article.
Manuscript Confidentiality
All submitted manuscripts are treated as confidential documents:
- Shared only with editors, reviewers, and editorial staff
- Reviewers must not share or use manuscript content
- Pre-publication findings must not be disclosed
- Reviewers with conflicts must decline review invitations
Editorial Decisions
Authors may appeal rejections by:
- Submitting detailed rebuttal addressing reviewer concerns
- Providing additional data or analyses
- Requesting re-review by independent reviewers
Appeals should be sent to [email protected] within 30 days of decision.
Complaints & Misconduct
Suspected misconduct should be reported to [email protected]
IJN follows COPE flowcharts for investigating allegations. All reports are handled confidentially.
Last updated: January 2025